The Jane Austen Book Club castIf not just for the fact that Hugh Dancy is absolutely beautiful. No but though the film is a chick flick and is about Jane Austen books which probably sounds like torture to some people, mostly those with XY chromosomes, it really was quite refreshing. It was just so much smarter and honest than your usual chick flick and the women actually looked real in it. The cast included Amy Brenneman (queen of TV), Maria Bello (who is in everything but is always good and so beautiful), Maggie Grace (of Lost who was also great and a very sexy lesbian. That might get some of the guys to at least look over), Kathy Baker (always good but she has a bad haircut), Jimmy Smits (reunited with NYPD Blue co-star Brenneman), Marc Blucas (always cute and so touchingly earnest in this film) and the magnificent Emly Blunt who completely loses herself in this part. She plays an uptight, insecure, snobby French teacher with a severe bob. It is a far cry from the hilarious bitch she played in The Devil Wears Prada. She is wonderful in this complex role and you completely sympathise with her and route for her even though her name is Prudie. And of course Hugh Dancy is also very energetic in his role as the energetic Grigg who has been around women way too much. I went to the film because I had read the book of the same name by Karen Joy Fowler and loved Jane Austen. And don't tell anybody (especially Jane) but I think I got more from the movie than the book.
