At Sundance: LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP

Last updated on: February 2, 2016 at 10:03 am by J. Ryan Parker

At Sundance: LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP 2016-02-02T10:03:04-08:00 J. Ryan Parker

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

A day and a half into my first Sundance Film Festival, and I’ve already had my first big surprise, Whit Stillman’s delightful film, Love and Friendship, based on Lady Susan, an unpublished novella by Jane Austen. It’ll likely hang around as one of my favorite films of the festival and will be one to look out for later this year when Roadside Attractions distributes.

From the Sundance synopsis: Love & Friendship focuses on the machinations of a beautiful widow, Lady Susan Vernon (Kate Beckinsale), who, while waiting for social chatter about a personal indiscretion to pass, takes up temporary residence at her in-laws’ estate. While there, the intelligent, flirtatious, and amusingly egotistical Lady Vernon is determined to be a matchmaker for her daughter Frederica—and herself too, naturally. She enlists the assistance of her old friend Alicia (Chloë Sevigny), but two particularly handsome suitors (Xavier Samuel and Tom Bennett) complicate her orchestrations.

Given the waitlist line, I walked in a minute or two late and did so to hearty laughter from a packed Eccles Theater. And the laughter didn’t let up as the film—nearly every scene of it—features wit that not only drives the narrative forward but draws attention to the world in which we live. The production design is a marvel and Beckinsale’s costumes are as decadent as rich deserts and change as frequently as those of Maggie Cheung’s in Wong Kar Wai’s In the Mood for Love. Despite all of its rich historical context, Love and Friendship feels fresher and funnier than more contemporary romantic comedies.

A great surprise of the film is the role religion plays in both the humor. The Ten Commandments have never been funnier, and the film perfectly satirizes how we continue to mis-remember them and mis-appropriate them. Lady Vernon uses one—honor thy father and mother, the 4th or 5th (who can remember!?)—to guide her daughter in the affairs of the heart. But, as with most people who quote scripture, she does so, ultimately, to serve her own selfish ends. And, as with most use of scripture, the lives and choices of women are ultimately at stake.

Love and Friendship is a nearly flawless film that benefits from Stillman’s whip-smart script, brought to life by a stellar cast. While Beckinsale turns in a career-defining performance, Bennett steals the show as Sir James Martin, Frederica’s bumbling idiot of a suitor.

Previous Post

January 14, 2016

THE LEFTOVERS (Season 2) and The Arbitrariness of Life

Next Post

January 26, 2016 At Sundance: THE FITS and BRAHMAN NAMAN

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Classics DVD Film Music News Pop Culture Events Print Sports Television Uncategorized Video Games

Select a Month March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who saw a vision of a ladder reaching heaven?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Joseph Isaac Adam Jacob