BY ELISABETH ANN BROWN
WASHINGTON, D.C. – JANUARY 23, 2019
One of the great things about working mostly from home is that I get to choose when I want to goof off. And when I do, I often do it while my husband is immersed in a Redskins game. I’ve never been able to get the hang of American football. Sunday afternoon football is the perfect time for me to binge watch a series or find a good movie on Netflix.
BECOMING JANE
Starring: Anne Hathaway, James McAvoy, Julie Walters Genre: Romantic, Biographical, Period Piece
This movie stars the beautiful Anne Hathaway as Jane Austen, probably the most famous and significant English author most famous for having written Pride and Prejudice. I enjoy love stories and period movies.
Becoming Jane portrays Jane Austen as a young woman in search of love. She comes from a good, but not very well off, family who are anxious to marry her off to someone who can provide a more comfortable life for her. She is a very independent thinker, and not at all keen on the idea of an arranged marriage. When she meets an up and coming, but rather roguish, barrister, Tom Lefroy, she falls in love. The ups and downs of her relationship with Lefroy give her the inspiration for writing her novels. Although Jane never married, it is obvious that Lefroy was the great love of her life. The movie stars the very beautiful Anne Hathaway as Jane.
THE FUNDAMENTALS OF CARING
Starring: Paul Rudd, Craig Roberts, Selena Gomez Genre: Dark Comedy
I am very partial to seeing movies that are taken from books, andI have rarely been disappointed with any of them. The Fundamentals of Caring was no exception. Starring Paul Rudd, Craig Roberts and Selena Gomez, the genre is Dark Comedy, heartfelt and witty. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. It is the story about a soon to be divorced man (Ben) who applies for a position as caregiver to a teenage boy with a severe form of muscular dystrophy (Trevor). Ben is dealing with his own inner demons, but he and Trevor very quickly hit it off. Trevor has never travelled anywhere since he and his mom settled in the US. His father left when he became ill at the age of three. Mom hires Ben so that she can go to her job at a local bank, although at first she is dubious as to whether or not Ben will stay the course.
As Ben and Trevor begin to bond, Ben realises that Trevor, whose condition will likely mean a very short life expectancy, needs to get out and explore the world around him. They persuade his mother to let them go on a road trip across America. The trip is, of course, laced with drama, plenty of humour, and a good deal of language, particularly when they meet Dot, an attractive girl hitchhiking from Seattle to Denver. There is cameraderie, comedy, a few nail biting moments, and some sweet exchanges between Trevor and Dot. The movie ends with an hilarious monumental “achievement” for Trevor that will really make you laugh out loud.
Definitely two thumbs up!!
