An American in Austen

Librarian Harriet Goodson (Eliza Bennett) is struggling to write her first novel. Her boyfriend makes the big proposal and she can only respond with Maybe. Her favorite book is Pride and Prejudice. She wakes up magically inside the book as an American cousin and meets her fantasy crush Mr. Darcy (Nicholas Bishop).

Eliza Bennett is a lovely actress and she plays a good fish out of water. It is a little funny that the British actress is playing an American in this British classic. Heck, her name is Eliza Bennett. It's very meta. The Hallmark production looks rather TV movie level despite the grand locations. It could be better. The story is a fun and often-done concept. More could be used for comedy. Maybe she doesn't like the food or the makeup is bad. They do the corset and the carriage rides. Those are a little funny. This just needs to push for more humor. The Bennet sisters are really only characters in a book. They don't have the latitude to be real people. It's all up to Harriet. I want her to run around and struggling in this old timey society to get things right.

Loved this one... fun and different. It felt like a quality production compared to some other HM movies. The humor was modern and the actors were great (I wasn't familiar with any of them before this movie and started Googling them all). The lead did a great American accent (I would have never guessed she is British by birth). Costumes and locations looked legit, and the period actors were perfect Bennets.

Since I'm required to use more characters, I'll say that I like HM mysteries as well as the more modern romantic comedies. I don't like the sappy movies/shows. This one fit the bill for my taste.

'' An American in Austen '' is a fantasy romantic comedy that sends our american Austen lover author in one of Austen's most famous works.

The movie is pretty enjoyable, to the point that you often forget that its a Hallmark. It is well filmed, has plenty of funny moments, it's light, it's romantic, and it has a nice enough ending that is both satisfying and happy. Also, our main lead didn't get annoying and she was actually really sweet. The side characters did a great job as well. In addition, the fantasy element was well handled.

So, overlal, six out of ten for '' An American in Austen ''.

I'm more of a Jane Austen fan than a HM one, so I was interested in this series of HM films, but didn't expect much - and so far, HM did not disappoint - it was the traditional Hallmark formulaic script and C-list casting...until now. I'm American, so I feel like a bit of a traitor in saying this, but I suspect it's because this production would be more appropriately called "A Brit in Austen" - and not just bc the one "American" is actually a British actress, but bc it appears the whole thing was shot across the pond, and the Brits did do HM better, from the script to the costumes to the sets to the cast, this was elevated HM fare. Enough so that I wished it had had a slightly longer runtime, to flesh out some of the side stories more fully....so my only criticism would be that it was a bit too short and that the bookstore ending was a return to HM cliche, and felt a little bit like a letdown after having reached a higher level of film-making. If the budget works for British productions, HM should do more of these, but...give the writers/directors an extra hour of run time. Carry on with the royal cameos, though! That's hilarious and unexpected!

8.2 stars.

If you are hopelessly stricken by Austen's works, tread carefully into this story, as it may be offensive to your dogmatic senses and sensibilities.

This is the tale of a female author who is currently struggling with writer's block. She is well versed in old English literature and other similar works. There is much going on in her life, a boyfriend who wants more, a publisher who demands her best, and her personal life is cluttered with too many things. She makes a wish and we are taken back in time, into a book within a book, which eventually lands into yet a third.

Once again, Hallmark hits a home run. I find they are producing some very entertaining period pieces; almost defining for our times what a family friendly historical fiction film should be. Hollywood, take some lessons about 19th century English (family values oriented) comedy/drama from 'An American in Austen'.

I do fewer reviews these days, I've moved on after 800+. I feel for me it's better to rate a movie and get on with my day. But when I happen upon a remarkable film as this, I have to share my thoughts.

What jumps out immediately is the lead female/protagonist does not fit in with any of the characters from 'Pride and Prejudice', to whence she has been transported back in time. I feel this is a brilliantly clever rendition of a woman out of place and time. And, she very much seems 200 years out of place. Her mannerisms, colloquialisms, language, metaphors, and slang are so painfully untimely and vulgar. Yet, her character is so well versed in Victorian era knowledge due to her literature background, that she is able to navigate her way through with limited difficulty (conveniently explained by her being swept into the narrative as an American cousin of the family).

The script is amazingly clever and to augment it, the acting is equally as superb. Her character is emboldened with 21st century sarcasm and wit, refreshingly matched step by step by the intellect and savvy of the characters from the novel that she has found herself living in. She has wished to have a Mr. Darcy of her own, and her wish is granted. Of course, she is completely out of her element.

What a great theme for a wonderful story...brilliant, luminous, splendid!