Pride and Prejudice

Director Andrew Black and writers Anne Black, Jason Faller and Katherine Swigert update Jane Austen’s novel, setting it at a Mormon college in Utah (Brigham Young University, perhaps?), with Kam Heskin as student and would-be writer Elizabeth Bennet and Orlando Seale as Will Darcy, the new guy on campus. The script mangles Austen, relegating most of her wit and insight to brief quotes between scenes; worse, it perversely misquotes the novel’s famous opening line and even confuses which character is proud (it’s supposed to be Darcy) and which one prejudiced (Elizabeth). Director Black paces at a leaden plod, with great gaping pauses between lines that make the 104-minute movie feel three hours long. Heskin and Seale have rapport and screen presence, but other performances range from awkward and self-conscious to rank amateur.