Jane Eyre

Bronte’s classic tale of love, secrets and isolation on the Yorkshire moors returns once more to the big screen. It may be a mere five years since its latest incarnation by the BBC, but Cary Fukunaga (Sin Nombre) has achieved the seemingly impossible and found a fresh approach, upping the suspense to deliver a film far darker than its predecessors.

Life hasn’t been easy for Jane Eyre. Orphaned, despised by her aunt and sent away to the brutal Lowood school, she has had more than her fair share of adversity – and this looks set to continue when she arrives to work as a governess at the remote and forbidding Thornfield. Owner of the estate Mr Rochester (Fassbender) takes brooding to a whole new level – he’s rude, abrupt and insufferably imperious. He is, however, refreshed by Jane’s willingness to challenge him, and as time passes, the pair grow closer. But a secret lurks in the shadows of this house, and when it makes its presence known, Jane has no choice but to flee…

The script has been skilfully adapted by Moira Buffini (Tamara Drewe), altering the structure so that we begin as Jane leaves Thornfield, then watch as her past is recalled. This change from the usual linear style injects a greater sense of intrigue and foreboding, fitting well with Fukunaga’s directorial style. But the real key to the film’s success is the playing of the eponymous role. Jane Eyre is the ultimate heroine – strong, independent and never afraid to speak her mind, and here Wasikowska (Alice in Wonderland) does not disappoint. Far from just another period drama, this Gothic romance is not to be missed.

Ellen Buckerfield