52 Films by Women Vol 9. 10. Jane Austen à gâché ma vie (Jane Austen Wrecked My Life) (Director: Laura Piani)
Pictured : Agathe ( Camille Rutherford ) pictured in front of the famous Parisian bookshop, 'Shakespeare and Co'. Both are featured in the film, ' Jane Austen Wrecked My Life ', a French romantic comedy written and directed by Laura Piani . Still courtesy of Icon Film Distribution (UK), Sony Pictures Classics (US ) The title Jane Austen Wrecked My Life ( Jane Austen à gâché ma vie) holds so much promise that I was heartbroken to discover how conventional writer-director Laura Piani’s debut feature is. Where is my takedown of Austen romantic tropes, that the brooding, social awkward yet handsome man is the answer to many a young – or perhaps not so young – woman’s prayers? Piani casts in the Mark Darcy role Charlie Anson, a bi-lingual (at least) English actor whose only Austen connection is an appearance in Pride and Prejudice and Zombies , a thoroughly immemorable horror comedy. Anson is the sort of guy who’d more likely give you a quote on your insurance than exude...