Vanity Fair (C+ or 2.5/4 stars)
'Vanity Fair' is an English period drama directed by Mira Nair & based on the novel written by William Makepeace Thackery. This is the story of a woman with very little who goes to certain extremes to get ahead in life (financially, socially, and in love). Along the way she encounters and befriends several saucy characters. But, as Becky Sharp, Reese Witherspoon stands out in a film that does not seem to know exactly where it wants to go or who it wants to touch.
The film starts and we see Becky as a little girl in her father's art studio. They have little money & are desperate to sell what they can. Gabriel Byrne steps in as The Marquess of Steyne. He enters the studio & wishes to buy a portrait of Becky's dead mother. Understandably, Becky is apprehensive to give up this portrait for some small amount of $$. She demands a price & The Marquess pays it. Little does she know that he will enter back into her life at a later pivotal point.
Becky is determined & smart. This is a time & age when women could only get so far in English high society. After attending the rigid surroundings of Miss Pinkerton's Academy, Becky ventures off with her new friend, Amelia (Romola Garai). Amelia's family accepts Becky into their home where she meets Amelia's brother. Marrying him would move her swiftly up the social ladder. This plan goes to pot when Amelia's fiancé (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) distracts him from Becky. He knows what Becky is up to; this is strike one. And so, since Becky was not successful at Amelia's home, she leaves to find the next best thing; employment at the socially connected Crawley household.
Using feminine wiles & sheer manipulation, Becky boosts her position from mere governess to confidante and employee of Sir Crawley's very, very rich Aunt Matilda (a wonderful Eileen Atkins). However, after Becky marries Matilda's beloved nephew, Rawdon (James Purefoy), Matilda turns her back on Becky. Becky is now socially accepted & has some money, but she wants MORE acceptance, MORE $$, and someone who she truly, truly loves; strike two. Will there be a strike three? Or will Becky finally own the wealth, power, and popularity she desired for so long? After these turn of events in Becky's life, she finds that the Marquess of Steyne (Gabriel Byrne) & Amelia's brother come back into her life at times most unexpected. I will not go into the details as I would give away too much of the plot. I will say that many twists & turns and reversal of fortunes take place for Becky.
Unfortunately, it's these twists & turns that made my head heavy mid-way through this lengthy film. While Mira Nair does a fine job directing, I think she tries to put a bit too much into the film. Too many characters are introduced, too many names to remember, too many instances where I like Becky, and then grossly dislike her; too much of everything. And while the sets & costuming are absolutely beautiful, even that got became saturated to me.
Not every book, and/or movie can or should portray lead characters in a praiseworthy light. Not every lead can be the protagonist. But in a lengthy film where Becky's loyalties, marriages, ideals & friendships change so frequently, I found myself frustrated with Becky & the film as a whole. This does not infringe on my view of Reese Witherspoon. I think she acted brilliantly; she rarely disappoints. But her character here is not loathsome, nor respectable enough for me to really care about who she was and what she was trying to do with her life. Nothing is truly compelling about the story or the characters. This combined with the fact that this slow moving period piece lasts more than 150 min. made me 'zzz' in my chair for a while.
The film starts and we see Becky as a little girl in her father's art studio. They have little money & are desperate to sell what they can. Gabriel Byrne steps in as The Marquess of Steyne. He enters the studio & wishes to buy a portrait of Becky's dead mother. Understandably, Becky is apprehensive to give up this portrait for some small amount of $$. She demands a price & The Marquess pays it. Little does she know that he will enter back into her life at a later pivotal point.
Becky is determined & smart. This is a time & age when women could only get so far in English high society. After attending the rigid surroundings of Miss Pinkerton's Academy, Becky ventures off with her new friend, Amelia (Romola Garai). Amelia's family accepts Becky into their home where she meets Amelia's brother. Marrying him would move her swiftly up the social ladder. This plan goes to pot when Amelia's fiancé (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) distracts him from Becky. He knows what Becky is up to; this is strike one. And so, since Becky was not successful at Amelia's home, she leaves to find the next best thing; employment at the socially connected Crawley household.
Using feminine wiles & sheer manipulation, Becky boosts her position from mere governess to confidante and employee of Sir Crawley's very, very rich Aunt Matilda (a wonderful Eileen Atkins). However, after Becky marries Matilda's beloved nephew, Rawdon (James Purefoy), Matilda turns her back on Becky. Becky is now socially accepted & has some money, but she wants MORE acceptance, MORE $$, and someone who she truly, truly loves; strike two. Will there be a strike three? Or will Becky finally own the wealth, power, and popularity she desired for so long? After these turn of events in Becky's life, she finds that the Marquess of Steyne (Gabriel Byrne) & Amelia's brother come back into her life at times most unexpected. I will not go into the details as I would give away too much of the plot. I will say that many twists & turns and reversal of fortunes take place for Becky.
Unfortunately, it's these twists & turns that made my head heavy mid-way through this lengthy film. While Mira Nair does a fine job directing, I think she tries to put a bit too much into the film. Too many characters are introduced, too many names to remember, too many instances where I like Becky, and then grossly dislike her; too much of everything. And while the sets & costuming are absolutely beautiful, even that got became saturated to me.
Not every book, and/or movie can or should portray lead characters in a praiseworthy light. Not every lead can be the protagonist. But in a lengthy film where Becky's loyalties, marriages, ideals & friendships change so frequently, I found myself frustrated with Becky & the film as a whole. This does not infringe on my view of Reese Witherspoon. I think she acted brilliantly; she rarely disappoints. But her character here is not loathsome, nor respectable enough for me to really care about who she was and what she was trying to do with her life. Nothing is truly compelling about the story or the characters. This combined with the fact that this slow moving period piece lasts more than 150 min. made me 'zzz' in my chair for a while.