Jane Eyre Adaption

Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre might be the most frequently produced historical. No contest, the best is the 2011 Jane Eyre adaptation with Michael Fassbender and Mia Wasikowska.

Yes, the plot is a bit pared down, but I’m not complaining, since so many Jane Eyre screenplays err in the pacing (frankly, they drag) and falter in the most essential element: romance. As in any Brontë story, love pushes the boundaries of ethics, even transcends the mortal realm. This version delivers, with a capital D. Or is it F, for Fassbender? Enough said.

Blind persons might ask, what makes Fassbender’s Rochester so superior? It’s his masterful balance of the character’s dual natures. Mr. Rochester is embittered and world-weary yet has the soul of a poet, with the capacity to love deeply. Fassbender’s portrayal masters all that, plus his Rochester has both vitality and maturity, a contradiction which makes the attraction between him and Jane believable. This is reinforced by Mia Wasikowska’s vulnerable but strong Jane, who meets Fassbender’s derision with queenly defiance. The sum of it all? Edgy, artistic passion. Few other actors escaped the unsettling “daddy issues” vibe, with an overly haggard Rochester kissing a too-innocent Jane, resulting in an “Eew!” reaction from the viewer. Conversely, Michael and Mia had me fanning myself.

Beyond the A+ chemistry, the two actors succeed in loading their scenes with meaningful silence, wherein they exchange suspicion, reluctant admiration, resentment, fascination, and desire beyond the dialogue. As it should be, the focus is on Jane’s romantic awakening and Mr. Rochester’s healing, not “How cranky can we make Mr. Rochester?” Aided by the magical, emotive and slightly spooky soundtrack in the romantic tradition of Elgar and Samuel Barber (Marianelli again – no wonder), the overall theme of desolation versus redemption really shines, in all its gothic glory.