SHE WILL LIVE BY THE PEN!

Wow.  

Wow. Wow. Wow.

Well, I said I would review "Becoming Jane," didn't I?  

Alright then...  here's your review: 

AWESOME.

The entire plot is amazing.  It's based on the life of author Jane Austen, but there are a few twists thrown in there to give it that special "Hollywood" appeal.  Basically the entire love story is made to seem much deeper than it actually was in real life.  But man, was it good.

First of all, as you may already know, Jane Austen never married and died at 41.  Her first and only lifelong love was writing.  She says in the film several times, "I will live by the pen," meaning that she will make her own money doing what she loves - writing.

Hmm... sounds familiar...

Now, I'm not claiming to be like Jane Austen by any stretch of the imagination, but I definitely felt like I could relate (that is, with the writing and the single part... not the dying part).

Jane falls in love with a handsome Irishman named Tom LeFroy.  It isn't just an attraction thing though - there's an intellectual bond there too.  They were kindred spirits on the same wavelength.  They could speak about everything from status, money and power, to social issues and literary works.  Plus they could laugh together.  That's always important.

The thing I liked most about this movie was the fact that Mr. LeFroy respected Jane's passion in every way imaginable.  Whenever given the chance, he would praise and inspire her.  I don't care what anyone says - THAT is what makes a man, a man.

Anyway, I highly recommend "Becoming Jane"... remember, it's set in the late 1700s, so prep yourself for some old school jargon, corsets and a healthy dose of female repression.