les6969
Excellently filmed in Jamaica this adaptation gripped me throughout not least because Rebecca Hall who plays Antoinette is so beautiful and caries off her part as a mixed race fairly wealthy Jamaican lady who is being used by the man she marries because she will provide him a solution to his money problems.This really is multi-layered, moving, gripping, the scenery and music add to the drama and we really see each character come to life on the screen. The racism of white visitors and settlers in Jamaica's early days is not overlooked and neither is the immorality and it's double standards that existed among the so called better classes.This version contains a fair amount of nudity and fairly graphic sex scenes but it all seems very necessary to show the good and evil side of the characters.
Scruff79
Having just finished watching Jane Eyre on the Beeb, I wasn't sure how I would take to Wide Sagasso Sea. Antoinette (or Bertha) is pitied and feared and only seen once after the 'non' wedding in Jane Eyre. This relatively short story gives us an idea of a possible life for Rochester and his first wife in Jamaica where they married, and suggests to us reasons for how she ended up where she did in Jane Eyre. But it is hard to equate the Rochester in Jane Eyre and this younger version, and some fans of the book may not be able to take the cruel attitude shown by Edward to his wife. However, it is not that dissimilar to some of the characteristics seen in the original Bronte novel. The acting was superb and the idea of the 'prequal' well conceived by the original author.
David198
Thought-provoking, multi-layered, moving, gripping, with wonderful scenery and music, and outstanding performances from Rafe Spall (son of Timothy Spall) and especially Rebecca Hall (daughter of Peter Hall, previously seen in The Camomile Lawn). It deserves all the BAFTAs going! Hopefully it will be released on DVD before long.Based on the classic book by Jean Rhys, who was herself a Creole, written in 1966 - apparently one of the 'best 100 books ever' on Time's listings. It's an illuminating prequel to Jane Eyre, and a story which in my opinion is actually better than Bronte's classic.And I'm writing this as someone who can't stand Jane Eyre and wouldn't normally dream of watching this kind of film!
cennet53
Jane Eyre is currently on UK TV and it was good to see this prequel, even though it was written by another, more contemporary, writer. It managed to convey the sense of mid 1800s Jamaica wonderfully and the imagery was just superb. Both leads were excellent and the sex scenes , while maybe not suitable for under 12s, were portrayed sympathetically and were quite erotic in placesThoroughly recommendedand Rafe Spall has the sexiest lips ever!!!!!I have never seen him in anything before but I was fascinated by his acting ability. He managed to dominate the screen whatever scene he was in. Rebecca Hall was also good as the doomed Antoinette
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