"Jane Eyre" (2006)

"Jane Eyre"

From what I've gathered this TV-miniseries is the best adaptation of Charlotte Brontë's novel yet, but there's sure a lot of improvements possible. Brontë's novel goes through several important parts and places, and this adaptation doesn't even try to cover them to an acceptable extent.

This is only 202 minutes, and hopefully we'll one day get a worthy adaptation of the novel. It needs at least another 40 minutes to get close to cover the necessities of the story as well as managing several symbolic changes adapting writer Sandy Welch have left out.

Both Ruth Wilson and Toby Stephens does well to portray Jane Eyre and Mr. Rochester. Several of the supporting cast is also good, but they've got even less to work with than the main characters--compared to what they ought to have.

It sounds like I didn't enjoy this at all, but that's not true. A lot of it is really well done, much of the essence of the main characters are well established and we mostly get to understand the choices they make.

I still can't forgive the loopholes left uncovered, the shortcuts taken and the lack of basic understanding of Jane Eyre. Many might consider the novel overestimated, but to me there's no doubt a potential top rating in adapting Brontë's work as it deserves. I hope this years movie will manage better, but I have no doubt there's a TV-miniseries in the future that will blow us away. I'll be eagerly anticipating it.