Obsessive Jane Austen fan Jane Hayes (Keri Russell) invests her savings in a trip to the titular Austenland, a Jane Austen themed resort for a weekend of Regency Period LARPing and for promised romance. The intriguing concept, based on the eponymous novel by Shannon Hale, starts to fall apart when Jane meets her fellow-LARPer Elizabeth Charming, a loud and crude American (a quickly irritating Jennifer Coolidge). Despite a huge staff, a palatial venue, and sumptuous food, the resort seems to have only three guests (Jane, Elizabeth and Amelia (Georgia King, a Scottish actress playing an American playing a Brit who is quite funny in the role)). Needless to say, Jane's hope for an Austenian romance promptly shows up in a pair of potential suiters, 'stable boy' Martin (who is not fastidious about remaining in character) and 'aristocrat' Henry, (who seems to be as much of as snooty posh as his character). The film has fun with the acting within acting premise (in one case, actors play actors play actors in a play) but unfortunately (IMO) lacks any real wit or cleverness. Comedy is the most subjective of genres so I won't say the film isn't funny but I was bored and generally underwhelmed (although it did improve a bit in the third act). Jane's disappointment at being a 'low caste' guest at the resort reminded me of Linda's in the 'Bobs Burgers' (2011) episode 'Zero Larp Thirty'.
Review of Austenland
