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Vanity Fair [2004]
from Universal Pictures UK
starring Reese Witherspoon, Eileen Atkins, Jim Broadbent, Gabriel Byrne, Romola Garai
directed by Mira Nair

Features:

• Anamorphic
• PAL

Editorial Review:

The corsets and high waists of the 19th century meet the lush colors and visual splendor of India in Vanity Fair, a classic novel translated into modern celluloid by Mira Nair (Monsoon Wedding). The very contemporary Reese Witherspoon (Legally Blonde, Election) at first seems to hit the wrong note as Becky Sharp, an orphaned girl who rises to the heights of society using her quick wits and feminine wiles. But as Vanity Fair unfolds, the movie's tone embraces both period decor and modern attitudes, searching for a bridge that will carry us more deeply into a different time. It isn't wholly successful--the movie's end wraps things up awkwardly--but some scenes achieve a surprising and vivid immediacy, in particular one in which Becky's gambler husband (elegant James Purefoy) catalogues his worth for her before going off to the Napoleonic battlefields; love and pragmatism fuse with heartbreaking results. --Bret Fetzer, Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

• Avg. Customer Rating: 3.5 / 5.0

• Pick the actor, not the accent ...
  It's easy to be cynical of a film whose main protagonist is an American playing a character in English literature, and it is also very easy to criticise their performance. Before watching this film I did wonder whether Reese Witherspoon was merely cast in the role of Becky Sharpe in order to bolster the film's budget. And then I thought imagine if a Keira Knightly (god forbid) had been cast, and suddenly old Witherspoon didn't seem so bad after all. No one bats an eyelid anymore that Renee Zellweger was... more info

• Some of the Parts....
  This is a highly enjoyable costume drama. Solely as a film it is better than average. As a vehicle for a large number of very skilled actors it is outstanding. Witherspoon is more than competent, delivering the leading role with skill. The rest of the cast also turn in highly entertaining performances. James Purefoy is more than a foil for the Hollywood leading lady, he has merely to twitch his face for us to realise his moral frailty. Bob Hoskins is the the happy curmudgeon, Eileen Atkins thrills as the... more info

• Disappointing
  I was hoping to enjoy this film, as I like Reese Witherspoon, and wanted her to do well. I agree her accent is a bit iffy, but she does her best.
  The disappointing part, however, is that I often wondered where this film was going. And the answer came at the end - nowhere. I was a bit annoyed that I wasted over 2 hours on a flim that is, essentially, drivel. The main character is supposed to be a wit, and Witherspoon is beautiful in this, but it does not make up for the character being very predictable... more info

• Badly cast and all over the place
  I think this was a terrible film. I can't believe i wasted 2hrs+ watching it. I usually like Reese Witherspoon but she was wrongly cast in this film. Also, i felt that the film kept jumping between different story lines. There was too much going on. They needed to keep it simpliar and get a better cast!

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