PRIDE AND PREJUDICE

An emotive full-cast adaptation of Austen's most famous novel ranges from stellar narrative performances to "Bridgerton"-esque laughter and sighs. There're no weak performances here, with Darcy (Harris Dickinson), Lizzy (Marisa Abela), her parents (Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Bill Nighy), and Lady Catherine (Glenn Close) especially owning Austen's spirit. Patricia Allison is frighteningly accurate as Lydia, who is always the loudest in her scene. Abela murmurs Lizzy's private thoughts and slays Darcy with her unabashed sensuality. The music, which ranges from classical to 1960s tunes and ambient styles, is often floaty and diffuse, in antithesis to Austen's precision. The sound effects sometimes drown out the narrators. While the adaptation makes changes in dialogue that simplify or modernize Austen's beloved work, there's an intriguing something here that's not to be missed. C.A. © AudioFile 2025, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2025]