Jane Austen Wrecked My Life (2025) - Film Review

      Jane Austen Wrecked My Life, 2025.

      Written and Directed by Laura Piani.

      Featuring Camille Rutherford, Pablo Pauly, Charlie Anson, Annabelle Lengronne, Liz Crowther, Alan Fairbairn, Lola Peploe, Alice Butaud, Roman Angel, Laurence Pierre, Alyzée Soudet, Rodrigue Pouvin, Nana Hedin, Frederick Wiseman, and Pierre-François Garel.

      SYNOPSIS:

      A hopelessly single bookseller, immersed in her fantasies, must pursue her dream of becoming a writer to rectify her romantic misadventures.

      Agathe Robinson (Camille Rutherford), an employee at a bookshop, has not had a love life for two years and hasn't been intimate with anyone. She attributes much of her plight to the iconic works of Jane Austen, which have set improbable romantic standards for modern readers. In contrast, her coworker Felix (Pablo Pauly) embraces a casual dating lifestyle, engaging in meaningless relationships and frequently leading women on with false promises of ideal futures. This reflects the notion of a woman born in the wrong era, hence the title Jane Austen Wrecked My Life.

      Agathe's romantic frustrations have resulted in writer's block for her first novel, which focuses on a love story between a woman and a swirling figure she perceives in her coffee cup. It resembles a hopelessly romantic tale written by a true romantic. While her writing is actually praised by others, including Felix and her family, she struggles to express her thoughts due to various issues, including impostor syndrome and past trauma.

      Though Felix holds differing views on contemporary dating, he remains a supportive friend, enrolling Agathe in a writer's retreat at the Jane Austen residence, as her previous work shows promise. However, following a car accident that killed her parents, Agathe has developed an intense fear of being in moving vehicles, often using this, along with her impostor syndrome, as excuses to abandon her aspirations and allow her romantic life to stagnate.

      Under the direction of Laura Piani, the film captures Agathe as a classic romantic comedy failure, finding humor in her character (with Camille Rutherford delivering strong comedic moments) while embodying Austen's talent for portraying women as intricate and flawed beings. Nevertheless, these elements may not be sufficient to maintain a brisk 95-minute movie, mostly relying on familiar genre clichés and the dynamics between two men and her dreams of achieving success as an author. However, the film approaches its simplicity confidently, understanding its charm within the romantic comedy framework.

      With some encouragement from Felix to confront her past and make significant changes, Agathe agrees to his offer for a ride to the ferry, which takes her to the retreat. There, she encounters Oliver (Charlie Anson), a distant descendant of Jane Austen and a literature enthusiast who initially fails to appreciate her writing. Unsurprisingly, this discourages Agathe from pursuing a romantic connection with him, but as they spend time together on the island, they discover that their desires may align more than they thought.

      It is evident that Jane Austen Wrecked My Life plays with well-known genre tropes. However, the chemistry between Camille Rutherford and Charlie Anson proves effective, with Oliver eventually gazing at her with longing. Agathe may also inspire Felix to reconsider his flippant approach to romance, as they contemplate whether they haven't done enough to evolve their longstanding friendship into something deeper. There are also some lively debates about literature between Agathe and the other writers, although this aspect primarily serves as a backdrop. It is likely beneficial that Agathe's sorrowful past is not overemphasized, having been presented merely as an initial barrier to completing her writing.

      While every plot point is foreseeable, the film seems uncertain about balancing comedy and drama—considering that the humor works well, one might expect more of it. Nevertheless, the character development surpasses the typical standards of this genre, thanks to Camille Rutherford's convincing performance as a woman who could have easily been part of Jane Austen's narratives. Jane Austen Wrecked My Life skillfully utilizes familiar elements to its advantage and is certainly not a failure.

      Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★

      Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association, Critics Choice Association, and Online Film Critics Society. He also serves as the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check here for new reviews and follow my BlueSky or Letterboxd.