Product Details

• Actors: Mia Wasikowska, Michael Fassbender, Jamie Bell, Su Elliot, Holliday Grainger
• Directors: Cary Fukunaga
• Writers: Charlotte Brontë, Moira Buffini
• Producers: Alison Owen, Christine Langan, Faye Ward, Hannah Farrell, Mairi Bett
• Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Language: English
• Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Studio: Universal Studios
• DVD Release Date: August 16, 2011
• Run Time: 120 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (243 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0053Q9DHW
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #358 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
  • #14 in Movies & TV > DVD > Romance
  • #53 in Movies & TV > DVD > Drama
• For more information about "Jane Eyre" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Charlotte Brontë's Victorian romance is no stranger to the silver screen, but Sin Nombre director Cary Fukunaga's affecting and beautifully mounted adaptation is among the best. Sometimes, casting can make all the difference. In this case, Australia's Mia Wasikowska (Alice in Wonderland) plays the determined Jane Eyre opposite Ireland's Michael Fassbender (Fish Tank) as the world-weary Edward Rochester (neither actor betrays their country of origin). Fukunaga begins with Jane's escape from Rochester's High Gothic Thornfield Hall before flashing back to the days when the plainspoken orphan lived with her cruel and resentful aunt (an unsympathetic Sally Hawkins). The aunt ships her off to a loveless charity school, where she still manages to receive a fine education, after which she lands a position as governess for Rochester's ward, Adèle. Though his housekeeper (Dame Judi Dench, excellent) makes Jane feel welcome, the brooding Rochester attempts to mock and demean her, but the quick-witted 19-year-old can hold her own. What might offend a more superficial man intrigues her employer (played by a gent more handsome than the author intended). Sparks fly, but he expresses greater interest in a local beauty. Just as Jane finally pierces Rochester's armor, she discovers his terrible secret, and hits the road. She meets a kindly missionary (Jamie Bell) and his sweet sisters, who offer her the family she never had, before a sequence of well-plotted developments allow Jane to forge her own future. For once, no one can stop her, making for a swoon-worthy, if bittersweet conclusion. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Product Description

When orphaned governess Jane Eyre (Mia Wasikowska) arrives at imposing Thornfield Hall, she's intrigued by her brooding wealthy employer, Rochester (Michael Fassbender). His dark moods and the strange occurrences in the house lead her to discover a terrible secret that he had hoped to hide from her forever.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

44 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Mixed Reaction, September 5, 2011

By 

Janeite (USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Jane Eyre (DVD)

That's what I have after watching this dvd twice: a decidedly mixed reaction. Like many other reviewers, I'm a die-hard Jane Eyre fan, having read the book too many times to count and seen at least 6 film adaptations (I think there have been at least 8). This dvd is the 5th I've added to my collection, which my children find absolutely hilarious. But anyway, I wanted to see this one at the theater but it was only in my hometown for about a week, so I ordered it as soon as Amazon had it. I guess I should just lay out my pros and cons and let the chips fall where they may.

Pros: The casting is possibly the best of any version I've seen. Mia Whatchamacallit (sorry, can't remember her name right now) was 21 when the film was shot, making her about the right age to play Jane. All the other versions I've seen cast actresses who were well past their teen years, so it was good to see a more-age-approriate Jane. She also did a nice job with the role, expressing shades of emotion in her face since her lines are frankly rather limited. Michael Fassbender is honestly too young (34) and too good-looking (he was the smokin' hot warrior Stelios in 300) but does a very good job inhabiting the character of Rochester. He's very gruff with just the right hint of humor to make Rochester the irritating but somehow intriguing guy he is. The other roles were also well-cast. Judi Dench is always amazing, and Jamie Bell (though not as handsome as St.John should be, imho) was appropriately stern. The cinematography of the movie is just lovely. I really liked the lighting. Everything at Gateshead is sunlit and colorful, belying the hellish existence Jane endures there. Lowood school is spare and colorless, and Thornfield is mostly lighted from underneath with the only light falling on the characters seeming to come from candles and fireplaces. This creates an air of mystery and confusion as the viewer can never really get a good enough view of the place to even be sure of its layout. I liked the notion of starting the story with Jane's escape from Thornfield and the rest being told in flashback, but I can't say if that would be confusing to someone unfamiliar with the story or not.

Cons: I suppose nobody could condense this huge novel into a 2 hour movie and not leave out something I thought was important, but I felt too many details were omitted. Jane's character development as well as that of the relationship between Jane and Rochester were dealt with so quickly that they lost some of the depth of emotion they should have had. The conclusion of the film occurs so abruptly that I got a bit angry. It was sort of a "You've got to be kidding!" reaction that it just suddenly ended without what I thought was adequate closure. Some scenes, such as Jane's flight over the moors, were lovely but rather long, and I found myself wishing some of those scenes had been cut to give more scenes that "fleshed out" the story.

So my mixed reaction still allows me to recommend the movie. I think it is a good and respectful adaptation of one of my favorite novels as well as a visually lovely film with a solid cast.

102 of 116 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Favorite Jane Eyre adaptation, June 10, 2011

By 

K. Hofmeister - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Jane Eyre [Blu-ray] (Blu-ray)

I've seen a lot of the Jane Eyre adaptations (though not all 20+ of them) and so I wasn't sure what to expect going in to this film. I was happy to discover that this is by far my favorite of all the films, television series, etc. Mia Wasikowska's Jane Eyre is luminous - my favorite of all the Janes, and Michael Fassbender's Mr. Rochester has got to be the sexiest Rochester in the entire canon. The cinematography and music are beautiful and the use of natural light and candle light lend the appropriately gloomy gothic atmosphere.

36 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Would their separation cause him to bleed inwardly? Probably not., July 1, 2011

By 

Ansley Clements (TLH, FL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Jane Eyre (DVD)

Any visual of Jane Eyre meets tough critics because everyone considers their interpretation most accurate. Filmmakers and actors have their work cut out for them.

Watching this version led me to one conclusion above any other. The believability of the two lead actors as Jane and Rochester is mostly strained. I found the proposal scene lacking. Charlotte Bronte says that a "vehemence of emotion" claimed "mastery" over Jane. In Mia's case there's mostly controlled emotion instead of a combination of so many of them at once. Where are the long overdue emotions that Jane hasn't shown yet to Rochester? That scene has a lot of potential for heavy drama, but it often becomes uncomfortable on screen. What I liked most about Mia W. is that she knows how to show character subtleties and dynamics like inner strength easily. She is never "trying too hard."

As Rochester, Michael Fassbender could use more weariness of life. Fassbender's degree of anger is sufficient, but he could've shown more passion. His increased visibility of emotion contrasts with her concealing it. His character foil to Jane adds lots of intrigue, and I didn't find it in this film. This version is dark, as in little lighting, and the dark oppresses throughout.

The movie theater posters emphasized plain, and the plain aspect bordered on overpowering. For a story with greatness achieved through dialogue, this movie has fewer lines than any other version. Filmmakers innovate by using other means to tell the story, which is very bold. It works for the most part. Maybe because the parts with dialogue make use of heavy-hitting lines.

Comparing this version with others, I know of 2 film versions I would recommend over this because the level of connection between the two leads is better.