The Jane Austen Book Club
The book club is the brainchild of fiftysomething six-time divorcée Bernadette (Kathy Baker), who latches onto the idea when she meets Prudie (Emily Blunt), a prim, married high school French teacher in her mid-20s, at a Jane Austen film festival. Her concept is to have six members discuss all of Austen's six novels, with each member hosting the group once a month. Also inducted into the club are Sylvia (Amy Brenneman), a fortysomething librarian who recently has separated from her philandering lawyer husband Daniel after more than two decades of marriage; Sylvia's 20-something lesbian daughter Allegra (Maggie Grace); Jocelyn (Maria Bello), a happily unmarried control freak and breeder of Rhodesian Ridgebacks who has been Sylvia's friend since childhood; and Grigg (Hugh Dancy), a science fiction fan who's roped into the group by Jocelyn with the hope he and Sylvia will prove to be a compatible match.
As the months pass, each of the members develops characteristics similar to those of Austen's characters and reacts to events in their lives in much the same way their fictional counterparts would. Bernadette is the matriarch figure who longs to see everyone find happiness. Sylvia clings to her belief in steadfast love and devotion, and eventually reconciles with Daniel. Jocelyn denies her own feelings for Grigg while playing matchmaker for him and Sylvia. Prudie, encumbered with her inattentive husband Dean and a free-spirited, pot-smoking, aging-hippie mother, a product of the 1960s counterculture, finds herself desperately trying not to succumb to her feelings for her seductive student Trey. Allegra, who tends to meet her lovers while engaging in death-defying activities, feels betrayed when she discovers her current partner, aspiring writer Corinne, has used Allegra's life as the basis for her short stories. Grigg is attracted to Jocelyn and mystified by her seeming lack of interest in him, marked by her failure to read the Ursula K. Le Guin novels he has hoped will catch her fancy. He also serves as the comedic foil to Jocelyn and Prudie's very serious takes on the books.
The last meeting is held at the beach. Daniel wants to join the book club and is let to by Sylvia. Grig brings his elder sister Cat Harris, who persuades Jocelyn to take a chance on Grig because he loves her. Prudie initially wanted to meet Trey, but decides against it after putting herself in Jane Austen's shoes and instead goes home to Dean and makes him read Persuasion, which helps them find the love they once had. Daniel leaves a letter for Sylvia at her doorstep, upon reading, she accepts Daniel back.
Jocelyn finally reads the books Grig gave to her and is surprised to find that she loves them and can't put them down. She drives over to Grig's house but realises it was still very early and dozes off in her car. When Grig comes out of his house, he sees Jocelyn's car and knocks on her window. Jocelyn finally gives in to her feelings and they both passionately kiss.
One year later, the book club meets at Sylvia's library charity dinner. Grig and Jocelyn are together; Sylvia and Daniel have reconciled; Prudie is pregnant; and Bernadette has remarried for the seventh-time.
romantic, gothic, realism