They say necessity is the root of invention, and while writer-director Laura Piani may not have invented anything entirely new with the winning French rom-com Jane Austen Wrecked My Life, her debut feature film most certainly solves for a missing necessity. Though likely not on anyone's hierarchy of essential needs alongside nourishment and emotional support, I would argue that well-made, grown-up, of-the-moment romantic comedies are absolutely a requirement in a well-rounded film diet, something we've collectively been lacking lately. Set those rom-coms in a Jane Austen writer's retreat in a pastoral French estate with meet-cutes, physical comedy and a dash of modern anxiety and ennui, and you've got yourself a comfort film the likes of which we haven't seen since Richard Curtis's hey-day in the late '90s and early aughts.
Camille Rutherford (Anatomy of a Fall) is our flawed heroine, Agathe, an anxious and insecure bookworm and aspiring writer who works at Paris's famed Shakespeare & Co. with no love life to speak of except a flirtation with her cad of a coworker, Felix (Pablo Pauly). She's entirely at sea in every aspect of her life, lost about what to write or how to finish anything she starts, adrift in the dating pool with no view of the shore, and feeling like every move she makes is the wrong one. The only glimmer of assuredness in her existence is when she speaks of Jane Austen and literature in general, the way it helps her give meaning to an often confusing and scary world.
Though he's clearly no good for her, Felix does one thing right when he sends some of Agathe's early work to the Jane Austen writers retreat, who accept her into their upcoming session. And with that, she's off to the unknown—which is not exactly where Agathe typically thrives. The retreat is run by distant relatives of Austen's, Beth (Liz Crowther) and Todd (Alan Fairbairn), two charmingly peculiar Brits who regularly gather a motley crew of writers to indulge their appreciation for being surrounded by artists. Their son, Oliver (Charlie Anson) is no fan of Austen but he does care about his parents' well being, so he's agreed to help in the retreat's operations, beginning with picking up attendees when they arrive in town. And here, friends, is Wrecked My Life's meet-cute and the beginning of a very memorable week in Agathe's life.
Writer/director Piani has spoken openly about her longing for rom-coms of a certain era (me too, girl!) and her desire to channel something of that sort in her debut feature film. I'm thrilled to say she has resoundingly achieved it, striking that ever-elusive balance of a narrative that is just as grounded and realistic as it is whimsical and hopeful. Agathe, played entirely winningly by Rutherford, is all of us as she embarrasses herself in new social situations, frustrates herself with her own creative (and emotional) blocks, and eventually trusts herself to make hard but necessary choices for her own happiness. The love triangle here is nothing we haven't seen before, yet it is somehow still fresh and endearing, be it the cross-cultural comedy (Oliver is a Brit who speaks French, Felix is as French as they come) or the fumbling Agathe does on her journey to finally pick the right guy. (Which, let's be honest, isn't a spoiler for a film like this—we're here for the journey, not the destination.)
My only regret with Jane Austen Wrecked My Life, which I first saw at the Toronto Film Festival last year and have been hoping ever since would get a U.S. release, is that American audiences may be too distracted by Tom Cruise action pics and Disney live-action remakes this weekend to seek out this gem of an independent feature. But that would be to their detriment. Piani's wonder of a film recalls a magical moment in recent adult contemporary cinema and is a welcome beacon of what's possible in the genre in our modern age.
It will surely become a comfort watch for me, one to revisit as much as I do Notting Hill or You've Got Mail, and perhaps some studio out there is smartly considering a U.S. remake, which would surely bring in more domestic audiences. But I sort of hope not, because I can confidently say Jane Austen Wrecked My Life absolutely did not.
The film is now playing in theaters.
If you enjoyed this post, please consider supporting Third Coast Review’s arts and culture coverage by making a donation. Choose the amount that works best for you, and know it goes directly to support our writers and contributors.