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To call this adaptation of Jane Austen's early novella Lady Susan "a breath of fresh air" would not do justice to director Whit Stillman's vicious comedy of manners.
Kate Beckinsale stars as Lady Susan Vernon, an accomplished flirt and recent widow who guilts her sister-in-law into hosting her and then brings a maelstrom of drama into the household, mainly in the form of would-be suitors and a runaway daughter.
Lady Susan may have no shame, but Beckinsale plays up her character's propriety, always pronouncing her witty, backhanded comments with a composed pout.
Anything besides another Pride and Prejudice remake would feel radical, but Stillman manages to play with the text's catty eloquence in a modern way, reminding us of Austen's audacity and sense of humor, as well as why this author has made us blush for centuries.
Rated R
Critic's Grade: B+
Willamette Week