Dreams do come true!

A few weeks ago, there was a meme circulating about the time and place in TV or film you'd most like to live. One of my choices was the world of Jane Austen. Now, it actually was made into a British TV series last year on BBC called "Lost in Austen". It's 4 episodes, but on DVD now it just runs as a single event, with no obvious breaks. The idea of stepping into the world of Austen is brought to life when Amanda Price's (Jemima Rooper, from "Hex") favorite literary character, Elizabeth Bennett, has stepped through the wall of her attic, into Amanda's 21st Century bathroom in Hammersmith, London. Amanda steps through to see if it's true and becomes stuck on the other side, in Longborn, from Pride and Prejudice. She's wearing a leather jacket and jeans, but manages to explain her ensemble as "otter hunting garb". She follows the story of P&P, trying to make things come out the way the book she loves has foretold, but her presence in the story (and Elizabeth's absence) starts changing things. It's a wonderfully funny and heartfelt retelling of P&P from the perspective of one who loves the novel. The actors are familiar with Alex Kingston (Dr. Elizabeth Corday from "ER") and Hugh Bonneville (Bernie from Notting Hill) as Mr. and Mrs. Bennett. The other standout was the infamously wonderfully Mr. Darcy played by Elliot Cowan, who bears a remarkable resemblance to the late Heath Ledger. His brooding, lovelost portrayal of Mr. Darcy is constantly compared to Colin Firth's performance, and it does hold up well. Overall, a terrific rental for any who like British comedy or Jane Austen. 5 stars/lambs