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Love & Friendship U rating

Whit Stillman crosses the Atlantic for this irresistible Jane Austen adaptation, following the delicious and devious exploits of Lady Susan (Kate Beckinsale).

Comedy 2016 93 mins

Director: Whit Stillman

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Overview

Whit Stillman crosses the Atlantic for this irresistible adaptation of Jane Austen’s unheralded novella Lady Susan, following the delicious and devious exploits of Susan (Kate Beckinsale) as she schemes her way through England’s aristocratic circles.

Ensconced at her in-laws manor with the ostensible plan of securing a suitor for her daughter, Susan soon schemes her way into the heart of the young, handsome Reginald DeCourcy (Xavier Samuel), while ensuring the rich but extremely silly Sir James Martin (Tom Bennett) isn’t left entirely out of the picture. The doyen of US indie comedy Stillman finds himself utterly at home in the environs of English period fiction, revelling in the wit and artistry of Austen’s dialogue and proving that his stable of New York sophisticates have a clear antecedent in 18th-century high-society. Reuniting with Beckinsale and Chloë Sevigny from The Last Days of Disco, he’s also assembled a fabulous supporting cast rich in colour and gravitas, including Stephen Fry, Jemma Redgrave, Justin Edwards and James Fleet.

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