Quartile rating: 7/10 · 1 rating
From Jane Austen’s novella, the beautiful and cunning Lady Susan Vernon visits the estate of her in-laws to wait out colorful rumors of her dalliances and to find husbands for herself and her daughter. Two young men, handsome Reginald DeCourcy and wealthy Sir James Martin, severely complicate her plans.
Whit Stillman's adaptation of Austen's lesser-known 'Lady Susan' is a genuine delight — sharp, witty, and satirically assured in a way that sets it apart from the usual Austen heritage fare. Kate Beckinsale delivers a career-best performance as the deliciously scheming Lady Susan, matched by a superb ensemble including Tom Bennett's magnificently dim Sir James Martin. The plot crackles with epistolary wit and Stillman's distinctively arch dialogue, making this one of the sharpest comedies of manners in recent memory. Novelty is high because Stillman finds a genuinely singular voice — drier and more openly comic than typical Austen adaptations. Cinematography is competent period-piece work but unremarkable. The ending, while satisfying, wraps up a little too neatly and swiftly, slightly deflating the sparkling energy that precedes it.