Contemporary romance films preach one message almost exclusively: the pursuit of your own happiness is the highest and most noble goal. Which if we consider for a moment, isn’t really romance so much as narcissism. If you aren’t happy in your situation, get out of it, no matter what problems you cause. To be fair, The Jane Austen Book Club avoids falling into this common pit. Yes, there are the self-absorbed like philandering Daniel who decides “our marriage had a good run, but let’s get out now on a high note.” But we see the deep pain his actions cause his wife, and eventually himself. This is not a film that glosses over what our sinful behavior does to the people we love.

Some stellar performances keep Jane from becoming a complete wash. Emily Blunt, of The Devil Wears Prada fame, hits another homerun here as the awkward Prudie, who’s love of literature and deep conversation clashes with her man-boy husband’s love of sports and her hippie mother’s lifestyle. Hugh Dancy’s earnest sci-fi buff Grigg, steals all of his scenes as the Jane Austen novice who joined the all-woman book club because he has a crush on Jocelyn.

In the end, Book Club is a sweet little romantic drama with an affable cast that doesn’t really say much, do much, or have the emotional resonance to be particularly memorable. Love, and love of Jane Austen conquers all, so it would seem. Broken marriages, damaged hearts are all healed when the combatants pick up a copy of Persuasion or Emma. One wonders if perhaps the Middle East would be a nicer place if they all just started reading Jane.

(NOTE: Cautions below contain spoilers that may reveal plot points.)

CAUTIONS:

• Drugs/Alcohol:  Quite a bit of social drinking. Prudie’s mom smokes marijuana and gets high in one scene.
• Language:  A handful of profanities and vulgarities scattered throughout the film. Several sexual comments.
• Sex/Nudity:  A lot of heavy kissing. Daniel admits to an affair but nothing is shown. Prudie begins a romantic relationship with one of her 18-year-old students but it doesn’t get beyond kissing. She agrees to meet him secretly for sex at a hotel but doesn’t follow through with it. Allegra is shown in bed with her girlfriend(s) twice, in one scene the girlfriend is in her underwear. Allegra shown in the bath with her girlfriend (no nudity). She tells the story of a special needs boy who exposed himself to her when they were children. In one scene Grigg and Jocelyn begin kissing and undressing one another, but the scene ends before getting graphic.
• Violence:  Accidents while participating in extreme sports twice land Allegra in the hospital.