DVD Release Date:  February 5, 2008
Theatrical Release Date:  October 5, 2007
Rating:  PG-13 (for mature thematic material, sexual content, brief strong language and some drug use)
Genre:  Drama/Romance
Run Time:  106 min.
Director:  Robin Swicord
Actors:  Amy Brenneman, Maria Bello, Emily Blunt, Kathy Baker, Maggie Grace, Hugh Dancy, Jimmy Smits, Kevin Zegers, Marc Blucas, Lynn Redgrave

These days we certainly seem to be mad about Jane … Jane Austen that is. Keira Knightly in Pride and Prejudice. Anne Hathaway in Becoming Jane. Dozens of books about Austen and her work have been released in recent months. The eternal themes of life and love in Jane Austen’s novels are rising to the top of cultural consciousness once again. Yet it’s hard to imagine either Austen or her fans particularly enthusiastic about The Jane Austen Book Club, the latest entry in the ever-growing Austen-themed body of work.

In Book Club six friends and acquaintances take time out of their cluttered, messy lives to read the novels of Jane Austen and gather to discuss them. There is Sylvia (Amy Brenneman) whose husband of 20+ years Daniel (Jimmy Smits) has had an affair and wants to divorce. Sylvia’s adult lesbian daughter Allegra (Maggie Grace) who moves home to be with her mom during this trying period, yet still makes time for extreme sports. Sylvia’s long-time single friend Jocelyn (Maria Bello), a professional dog breeder who has just lost a beloved pet. Wealthy, yet nerdy Grigg (Hugh Dancy), whom Jocelyn meets in a hotel bar and invites along to the club as a possible new love interest for Sylvia. Feisty matriarch Bernadette (Kathy Baker), a fun-loving confidant to all, married and divorced six times. And Prudie (Emily Blunt), an uptight high school French teacher, whom Bernadette meets in line at the movies.

This ensemble drama follows the complicated lives of these Austen enthusiasts, as they make their way through the works of their beloved Jane, one book per month. Unfortunately for the viewer, watching people sitting around talking about a book is not terribly appealing. Not unlike most movies that are based on video games, if you are not a part of the action (or in this case discussion), it’s a bit difficult to engage with the story. The book club get-togethers become the punctuation for long interludes of individual narrative from the lives of the characters. Most of this storytelling is weak and awkwardly assembled. You really don’t get to know these people and their back-story well, due to so many of them fighting for screen time. Then suddenly everything ties neatly together in the end … too neatly.