Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

Let's be realistic.

It’s an especially fun movie from a director and cast who are clearly having a good time allowing themselves to let loose.

Blistering performances.

a delicate form of propaganda . for literature. and for the transformation of life under its influence. because it is a beautiful film about people. women, as source of change. men as students. or pieces of change. and, sure, all present, Jane Austen. and her novels. I admit, for me it is one of the most inspired , source of inspiration itself, film about Jane Austen universe. not only as homage. but as wise example of translation of the Austen - mania.

I am not particularly a fan of romantic movies, as I usually find them quite predictable and boring (I mean there's usually no action, no fight scenes, no Earth in danger, no suspense). But when I turned this movie on, I was not prepared for what I seen. OK, during the whole movie I practically didn't move and was sitting at the exact same position and wide eyed waiting what will happen next. The story seems simple – 5 women (1 unmarried, 1 separated, 1 in between relationships, 1 after a few marriages and 1 teacher with not so happy marriage) and 1 guy (science fiction fan who gets into the club to please one of the women) form a club where each month they have to discuss one of the six Jane Austen's novels.Yes, sure, there wasn't a lot of action there, but all dramas perpetuated and moved so fast that I just had to watch from beginning to end. This could have been written by Jane Austen. Her book pace is well, a bit slower, but still full of dramas. I must confess, I didn't read Jane Austen at first as I as Grigg assumed that the books are just romantic mumbo-jumbo. And I had the misperception that if you want drama you have to watch soap and if you want to read normal books you have to read action books full of magic and mystery and suspense. How I was wrong (just like Grigg).This movie was in my opinion very well made. Of course, I have not read the book (as the movie is based on it), but I really did enjoy the movie and now I am planning to borrow and read the book as well. But what do I mean by very well made is that you can't look away – if you look away from the screen, you miss something. You miss something important.Now this might seem for you that every movie is like that. But you might read the above sentences in different light if I confess that I have not very long attention span. That means that if the movie becomes not so challenging to follow, I start reading something or writing and just occasionally glancing at the screen to see if I am still following what's going on. So when I say that I couldn't look away, that really means that it was interesting.Why also this story could have been written by Jane Austen is that the main characters are very strong women. And the theme of love and self-control was woven as in her novels – you don't show your true emotions until the very end. And the relationships evolved very humanly and naturally.To sum up, the movie was a pleasure to watch. I am not sure if other action movie fans would enjoy it as much as I did, but it is sure worth to try. After all, you can only know if you like it only after you tried it, as Grigg says.

The rented DVD had tags of this being an all-star rom com. Those two words normally, especially when in conjunction with each other sends me running to the hills.With some preconceived notion that, by its very title and the nature of the 'club' in question, I felt this would be lifted up and above the usual trite that passes off as a humorous romantic movie these days.So - it wasn't quite as I expected, but then it wasn't as bad as I expected it could be, once I (sort of) knew what to expect.... Follow? It makes perfect sense that a cross-section (mostly women) of Californian people with time to spare and quite a few loose ends in their lives to tie up would follow Austen as their chosen book club author. That it doesn't try too hard to either be high-brow literature or an out and out banal people-in-need-of-therapy (a few don't, actually) sob session makes it all gently perceptive. How a common theme, which could be anything ie ten-pin bowling, can become a focal point in which folk can socialise and hopefully, put their lives into perspective. That that subject is in fact a world-loved and world-known author whose characters are so everyday, they can be transferred, by type, a few centuries forward and interwoven into the lives of readers any time - and anywhere. Just for the record, I'm not a follower of Jane Austen's works but do know the salient titles and a few of the key characters and I'm sure if you do, you'd get more from the film than maybe I did. Admittedly, I didn't recognise many (if any) of the cast but found the entire viewing experience a refreshing, often witty one that thankfully desisted obvious stereotyping. In short, yes worth the modest rental fee and for those who like such stuff, but with an added intelligence, go for it.

Chick flick about five women in California (and one guy) who get together once a month to discuss a Jane Austen book they all read. The events in the books begin to mirror their lives--and offer them solutions. Sylvia's (Amy Brenneman) husband (Jimmy Smits) has just left her. She also has a daughter (Maggie Grace) who is a lesbian and is having troubles with her girlfriend. Jocelyn (Maria Bello) has never had a relationship. She meets cute young Grigg (Hugh Dancy) and tries to hook him up with Sylvia--but Grigg is attracted to her. Prudie (Emily Blunt) has a husband (Marc Blucas) who doesn't understand her--or try to. Bernadette (Kathy Baker) is (sort of0 the head of the group.OK--I HATE Jane Austen's books. I had to read most of them in college and find them far too mannered and slow (except for "Northanger Abbey"). I avoided this when it was up the theatre for that reason. I caught it on cable just last night and, while it was no masterpiece, it actually wasn't too bad. I can't comment on how they mirror Austen's novels--I haven't read her in years (and have no desire to try them again). The stories and resolutions were laughably predictable but it has a good script and a very talented cast that push it through. No one stands out but no one was bad. I was surprised at how easily Dancy and Blunt fake their American accents (although Dancy's slips a few times). Lynn Redgrave appears very briefly in a small pointless role. No great shakes but enjoyable. I found it VERY interesting that when Dancy is in a skin tight biking uniform that the camera makes it a point to travel up (and down) his body! It's not often you see a guy's body objectified in a Hollywood film. I give it an 8.