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Love & Friendship

  • 2016
  • PG
  • 1h 30m
IMDb RATING
6.4/10
27K
YOUR RATING
Love & Friendship (2016)
Trailer for Love & Friendship
Play trailer2:10
16 Videos
99+ Photos
Costume DramaPeriod DramaComedyDramaRomance

Lady Susan Vernon takes up temporary residence at her in-laws' estate and, while there, is determined to be a matchmaker for her daughter Frederica--and herself too, naturally.Lady Susan Vernon takes up temporary residence at her in-laws' estate and, while there, is determined to be a matchmaker for her daughter Frederica--and herself too, naturally.Lady Susan Vernon takes up temporary residence at her in-laws' estate and, while there, is determined to be a matchmaker for her daughter Frederica--and herself too, naturally.

  • Director
    • Whit Stillman
  • Writers
    • Whit Stillman
    • Jane Austen
  • Stars
    • Kate Beckinsale
    • Chloë Sevigny
    • Xavier Samuel
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.4/10
    27K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Whit Stillman
    • Writers
      • Whit Stillman
      • Jane Austen
    • Stars
      • Kate Beckinsale
      • Chloë Sevigny
      • Xavier Samuel
    • 144User reviews
    • 224Critic reviews
    • 87Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 7 wins & 54 nominations total

    Videos16

    Love & Friendship
    Trailer 2:10
    Love & Friendship
    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:09
    Official Trailer
    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:09
    Official Trailer
    Happens Quite A Lot
    Clip 1:19
    Happens Quite A Lot
    More Favorably
    Clip 1:08
    More Favorably
    Disaster
    Clip 1:07
    Disaster
    Marriage
    Clip 1:00
    Marriage

    Photos125

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    + 119
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    Top cast32

    Edit
    Kate Beckinsale
    Kate Beckinsale
    • Lady Susan Vernon
    Chloë Sevigny
    Chloë Sevigny
    • Alicia Johnson
    Xavier Samuel
    Xavier Samuel
    • Reginald DeCourcy
    Emma Greenwell
    Emma Greenwell
    • Catherine DeCourcy Vernon
    Morfydd Clark
    Morfydd Clark
    • Frederica Vernon
    Tom Bennett
    Tom Bennett
    • Sir James Martin
    Jenn Murray
    Jenn Murray
    • Lady Lucy Manwaring
    Lochlann O'Mearáin
    Lochlann O'Mearáin
    • Lord Manwaring
    • (as Lochlann O'Mearain)
    Sophie Radermacher
    Sophie Radermacher
    • Miss Maria Manwaring
    Stephen Fry
    Stephen Fry
    • Mr. Johnson
    Jordan Waller
    Jordan Waller
    • Edward, Head Footman
    • (as Jordan S. Waller)
    Ross Mac Mahon
    • Owen
    Frank Prendergast
    Frank Prendergast
    • Approaching Gentleman
    Justin Edwards
    Justin Edwards
    • Charles Vernon
    Kelly Campbell
    Kelly Campbell
    • Mrs. Cross
    Conor Lambert
    Conor Lambert
    • Wilson The Butler
    Conor MacNeill
    Conor MacNeill
    • The Young Curate
    Frank Melia
    • Coachman
    • Director
      • Whit Stillman
    • Writers
      • Whit Stillman
      • Jane Austen
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews144

    6.427.3K
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    Featured reviews

    6ybenhayun

    This Jane Austen story falls pretty flat

    The funniest character in the film is James Martin. He steals every scene he's in and each time he was on the screen I couldn't stop laughing. Unfortunately, he isn't in a lot of the film, and the rest of the movie's humor comes in the form of pithy one liners at the end of every scene. Sometimes I'd chuckle at those, but that'd be about it. There aren't any weak links in the cast, they all do a great job with what they're given, but I wish they were given something better. The movie moves at an incredibly slow pace, and with not a lot ever going on, it often feels like I'm being read a Jane Austen novel rather than watching a movie adaptation. The movie isn't "bad" by any means but there's so little going for it that I would consider noteworthy I can't really find myself ever wanting to sit through Love & Friendship again. Maybe if you absolutely LOVE period dramas from a design standpoint or are a huge Jane Austen fan, you'll get more out of this movie than I did, but otherwise there isn't much here.
    6bapkan

    Weakly done

    Here's my beef with Love and Friendship. They told the story. Emphasis on told. Not sure if they didn't know how to build the character backgrounds and cultural implications into an hour and a half-ish flick or what. It's like they assumed you understood some things but, needed to explain the bulk of the story via Lady Susan. Instead of building the story via scenes and acting and playing out the idea and letting the audience think and work out the connections....leave a little to figure out if you got it right or not, Beckinsale's character basically narrarated everything that was going on. As we walked out, I said to my wife, Downton Abbey left a pretty high bar for period pieces. The Jane Austin story of relationships and status and morality was interesting enough. The presentation just plain left it all in the book. You read a book, and you know you're reading a book. Director Stillman just had the book read to us by actors. It wasn't as interesting as that may sound either. I don't know if it was budget over directing but, this was a disappointing movie-fication of a book. Even the period environment was stumbling and stiff. Oh yeah, a hand maiden should do this. Oh yeah, the footman or, doorman or butler would do this. It came across as a poorly staged amateur play, where there was no fluidity. Other reviews said you'd be laughing out loud. Maybe a few snickers and giggles. I was glad it was only 90-ish minutes. If you're coming to this because Downton Abbey made you a fan of that period of England, I'm sorry to tell you, you won't be satisfied by Love and Friendship.
    GManfred

    Mild Mannered Comedy

    "Love And Friendship" is not classified as a comedy but that's the only way it succeeds. Our website calls it a drama/romance but those labels don't capture the essence of Jane Austen's late 18th century novella, gorgeously filmed and impeccably acted by a predominantly British cast.

    In a nutshell; Lady Susan is recently widowed and now relies on the kindness of friends and relatives for shelter as she is very short of money. So she bounces from estate to estate endearing herself to the menfolk and is notorious among the ladies. Lady Susan is very beautiful and flirtatious; a husband is needed to achieve stability as well as position, not to mention a reliable source of income (We have to infer much of this information from the plot; Lady Susan is not a flamboyant character, like Auntie Mame).

    "Love And Friendship" sports first class production values as well as a sophisticated literary background. Kate Beckinsale is good as Lady Susan and the rest of the cast is even better. Midway through the film gets a needed boost from Tom Bennett, who plays the oafish Sir James Martin. He is an oasis in the midst of the arid screenplay, which cries for more of his bumbling presence.

    This is a movie for grownups in a landscape festooned with juvenile entertainment. It is difficult to find fault with any part of this handsomely mounted production which is graced by Jane Austen's relentlessly clever dialogue and the skilled direction of Whit Stillman ("Metropolitan", "The Last Days Of Disco"). Well done all around despite the bland storyline.
    7ThomasDrufke

    "Facts are horrid things"

    There's something very satisfying about a period piece that actually feels like a film that lives in another time and place. While Love & Friendship certainly isn't the thinker or entertainer that most of the films released in May, it has its fair share of laughs and uses its gorgeous locales and famous source material to its benefit as much as it can.

    I don't consider myself the avid Jane Austen reader or fan of the media adaptations. In fact, I usually don't care for them much at all, but with rave reviews and a heavier reliance on comedy than romance, I decided to give Love & Friendship a shot. For the most part, it's an enjoyable film. I don't know how closely the writers attempted to stay to Austen's work, but one of the main issues to the film is the overabundance of characters. We are introduced to almost every single character within the first few minutes via opening credits, and it became overwhelming as a viewer.

    I caught on to the characters after a while, but trying to remember everyone's names was quite the challenge, especially when they all talk, dress, and look relatively the same. With that said, it's far and away Kate Beckinsale's film as she plays the infamous Lady Susan Vernon. The story mainly focuses on Vernon's attempt to give her daughter and herself a new match, after being recently widowed. If not for anything else, Love & Friendship is entertaining just to purely watch Lady Susan manipulate just about everyone she crosses. The beauty being that you don't truly know if she's being manipulative or sincere, which is why the abundance of characters actually works in the film's favor.

    Distracting the audience with new characters scene to scene keeps our attention away from what Susan is up to, hence surprising us with the next reveal. I can't say I was all that invested in the story itself, as it sometimes falls under the clichéd-romantic genre, but watching Beckinsale and the others have fun with the source material proved to be worth a viewing.

    I also appreciated the film's keen sense of humor at just the right moments. There are moments when the comedy could steer towards over-the-top, but veteran director Whit Stillman kept it from getting out of hand. In all, if you're into Jane Austen or period piece romantic dramas in general, Love & Friendship is probably for you. If not, perhaps the humor and performances can reel you in.

    +Timely humor

    +Fun performances

    +Witty writing

    -A lot of characters can muddle the plot at times

    7.0/10
    7timothywalton-31924

    Wry, sarcastic, and hilarious

    Now here is a film which have divided audiences and critics significantly. Whereas critics have hailed Love and friendship a penetrating, brilliant dark comedy, ordinary moviegoers are certainly not as thrilled. I think a good litmus test for whether one would enjoy Love And Friendship is whether one enjoys the other Austen adaptations, or Austen novels. Most people who like the elegant, circumlocutory dialogue in the Austen novels(and films) would enjoy this film, for this film is extremely dialogue-heavy. Much of the humour is also hidden in the wry, witty dialogue, especially that from Lady Susan. And what a character Lady Susan is. Played by the inimitable Kate Beckinsale, Lady Susan is a master manipulator, a crafting, smug, witty, yet eminently likable character. Kate Beckinsales simply offers a powerhouse performance- she has a beautifully posh, confident voice, with such gorgeous inflexions that really brings the full cunning and the amiability of her character to life. Susan is a glib, eloquent, smooth talker able to wheedle her way out of any difficulty. But perhaps the films main selling point is also its problem- the presence of endless dialogue in this film may prove weary for many viewers. In a script which is so elegantly Austen, that is to say roundabout and difficult to decipher(usually the highlight of any Austen adaptation), having so much dialogue means so much brainwork, and many of the films witticisms may easily fly over a viewers head. The film may also lose some of its enjoyability as its pace slows in the middle section. But on the whole, Love And Friendship should be a treat for lovers of Austen, though it's dialogue-heavy approach, and it's reliance of comedy in dialogue over comedy in situation may prove difficult for some viewers.

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    Related interests

    Mia Goth and Anya Taylor-Joy in Emma. (2020)
    Costume Drama
    Emma Watson, Saoirse Ronan, Florence Pugh, and Eliza Scanlen in Little Women (2019)
    Period Drama
    Will Ferrell in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
    Comedy
    Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama
    Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca (1942)
    Romance

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      All of Kate Beckinsale's costumes and the majority of Chloë Sevigny's were custom-designed, despite a limited budget.
    • Goofs
      Lady Susan puts perfume in one hand, but smells the other.
    • Quotes

      Lady Susan Vernon: Facts are horrid things.

    • Crazy credits
      At the conclusion of the end credits, there is a line encouraging viewers to read the novel, "in which Lady Susan Vernon is thoroughly vindicated."
    • Connections
      Featured in The Graham Norton Show: Matt LeBlanc/Emilia Clarke/Kate Beckinsale/Dominic Cooper/Corinne Bailey Rae (2016)
    • Soundtracks
      Love and Friendship Harp Theme
      Composed by Benjamin Esdraffo

      Featuring Dianne Marshall (harp)

      (P) 2016 Sony Classical

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    FAQ21

    • How long is Love & Friendship?Powered by Alexa
    • Who sings and plays and what composer?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • June 3, 2016 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United Kingdom
      • Ireland
      • France
      • Netherlands
    • Official sites
      • Official Facebook
      • Official Site
    • Languages
      • English
      • French
    • Also known as
      • Lady Susan
    • Filming locations
      • Newbridge House & Farm, Donabate, County Dublin, Ireland
    • Production companies
      • Westerly Films
      • Blinder Films
      • Chic Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $3,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $14,016,568
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $133,513
      • May 15, 2016
    • Gross worldwide
      • $21,401,949
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 30m(90 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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