Customer Reviews
Period piece - By: G. J. Weeks, 22 Mar 2008 
It shows the vanity & hypocrisy of England 200 years ago. Strange but becky seemed to have the secret of eternal youth never ageing in the film once she was adult. Nice to have no bad language nor explicit sex.
Pick the actor, not the accent ... - By: Penelope, 08 Jan 2008 
It's easy to be cynical of a film whose main protagonist is an American playing a character in English literature, & it is also very easy to criticise their performance. Before watching this film I did wonder whether Reese Witherspoon was merely cast in the role of Becky Sharpe in order to bolster the film's budget. And then I thought imagine if a Keira Knightly (god forbid) had been cast, & suddenly old Witherspoon didn't seem so bad after alll. No one bats an eyelid anymore that Renee Zellweger was cast as Bridget Jones, although I concede her accent is a damn sight more convincing. That being said I think Witherspoon does a rather good job in a role that is at times rather disagreeable. In the film's favour `Vanity Fair' boasts an excellent supporting cast, tribute to the fine acting talent Britain possesses. The sets & the costumes are also extremely lavish & Mira Nair injects some refreshing nods to Bollywood's use of colour, dance & music. I wholly enjoyed this film despite it being disjointed in places, & I care not a whim for whether it is faithful to the book or not as I haven't read it, & this is a film adaptation after alll. However I do intend to read the book now, so if the movie encourages more to read the classics then its alright by me!
Some of the Parts.... - By: A. Wyatt, 13 Oct 2007 This is a highly enjoyable costume drama. Solely as a film it is better than average. As a vehicle for a large number of very skilled actors it is outstanding. Witherspoon is more than competent, delivering the leading role with skill. The rest of the cast also turn in highly entertaining performances. James Purefoy is more than a foil for the Hollywood leading lady, he has merely to twitch his face for us to realise his moral frailty. Bob Hoskins is the the happy curmudgeon, Eileen Atkins thrills as the rich & terrifying aunt, Geraldine McEwan plays the other aunt as court jester (this aunt is much more intelligent than her family assume), Jonathan Rhys Meyers could not be self-absorbed as George Osborne, & Douglas Hodge slums as the apparently dull dutiful son, delivering amusement with looks of mild surprise. Jim Broadbent, as ever, adds great value to proceedings. Gabriel Byrne exudes intent from afar in the first half of the film & is suitably disconcerting as he moves into the foreground in the latter part of the film. And finallly Tony Maudsley tops & tails the film as the completely amiable Jos Sedley. Aside from the strong performances the references to India add vitality though there is, as with the Passage to India, a sense of mutual imcomprension in the encounter. The film as a whole makes for fine entertainment. The individual parts are even more interesting.
Disappointing - By: D. E. V. Butt, 17 Sep 2007 
I was hoping to enjoy this film, as I like Reese Witherspoon, & wanted her to do well. I agree her accent is a bit iffy, but she does her best.
The disappointing part, however, is that I often wondered where this film was going. And the answer came at the end - nowhere. I was a bit annoyed that I wasted over 2 hours on a flim that is, essentiallly, drivel. The main character is supposed to be a wit, & Witherspoon is beautiful in this, but it does not make up for the character being very predictable & slightly annoying, with one-liners that end up being cheesy & cringe-worthy.
Maybe if I had never seen such period triumphs as the classic Pride & Prejudice, or Sense & Sensibility, I would not have been disappointed. Therefore, if you've never seen these two films, then you will probably enjoy Vanity Fair. If you have, don't bother.
At best, I was only half interested. At worst, I wish I'd never bothered.
Badly cast and all over the place - By: Chaz Haz, 01 Feb 2007 I think this was a terrible film. I can't believe i wasted 2hrs+ watching it. I usuallly like Reese Witherspoon but she was wrongly cast in this film. Also, i felt that the film kept jumping between different story lines. There was too much going on. They needed to keep it simpliar & get a better cast!
