Jane Eyre seems to be a book that is difficult to adapt to the screen because the language is so heightened that it can seem over the top when spoken, while the manners of the time dictate a tremendous amount of reserve leading to a dilemma of which to actually be faithful to and still engage a modern audience. Added to that is a morose tone and the plain style the protagonist (a governess) wears and you have a recipe for angst, bleakness and sentimentalism.
This particular adaptation avoids some pitfalls while veering into others. The Mr Rochester of this adaption while others here describe as mean I think of as rather boisterous but open hearted and even near playful. This Mr Rochester lacks the tight lipped bitterness of other portrayals and is much more ready to smile. With that there's a likability that actually makes the Jane Eyre of this adaptation appear more strict as if she is reacting to a sharpness that probably was in the novel but not in the actor playing her opposite. So the romance that ensues while tender appears to have missing parts in its progression, much more implied than actually encountered.
Certain areas of the Jane Eyre's unfair upbringing doesn't quite make it to the screen such as her time with her aunt and her horrid cousins. However being at the poor children school was illustrated more so than in other adaptions. To be honest I don't quite know what was added or left out of the movie from the book as well as others here seem to.
At any rate Jane Eyre succeeds as a unique but somewhat barebones retelling of the book's story. It also includes parts of the ending that I do remember from the book which is left out of other adaptations. If you can forgive a stern performance from the female lead you can watch the unfolding of some tender moments that at times does connect even while at other times is overshadowed by many oaths and declarations we just have to trust makes sense.
This particular adaptation avoids some pitfalls while veering into others. The Mr Rochester of this adaption while others here describe as mean I think of as rather boisterous but open hearted and even near playful. This Mr Rochester lacks the tight lipped bitterness of other portrayals and is much more ready to smile. With that there's a likability that actually makes the Jane Eyre of this adaptation appear more strict as if she is reacting to a sharpness that probably was in the novel but not in the actor playing her opposite. So the romance that ensues while tender appears to have missing parts in its progression, much more implied than actually encountered.
Certain areas of the Jane Eyre's unfair upbringing doesn't quite make it to the screen such as her time with her aunt and her horrid cousins. However being at the poor children school was illustrated more so than in other adaptions. To be honest I don't quite know what was added or left out of the movie from the book as well as others here seem to.
At any rate Jane Eyre succeeds as a unique but somewhat barebones retelling of the book's story. It also includes parts of the ending that I do remember from the book which is left out of other adaptations. If you can forgive a stern performance from the female lead you can watch the unfolding of some tender moments that at times does connect even while at other times is overshadowed by many oaths and declarations we just have to trust makes sense.