Natalie D.C.
A heartwarming French romantic dramedy, Jane Austen Wrecked My Life (2025) follows anxious bookseller and aspiring author, Agathe (Camille Rutherford), who finds herself in the middle of a Jane Austen novel after her best friend, Felix (Pablo Pauly), gets her invited to a writers’ residency in England. Written and directed by French writer and filmmaker Laura Piani, the film premiered at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival and is slated for a theatrical release in the U.S. by Sony Pictures Classics.
Indeed, Jane Austen Wrecked My Life is a true modern-day classic. This is, in part, thanks to Piani and her witty screenplay as well as Anatomy of a Fall’s British-French Camille Rutherford and her charming performance of self-conscious and hopeless romantic writer Agathe who, from the beginning of the film, proclaims she is “not living in the right century,” foreshadowing the classic shenanigans that pepper this ode to Jane Austen. Agathe lives a quintessentially delightful Parisian lifestyle, cycling to the real-life Shakespeare and Co.—an iconic English-language bookstore in the heart of Paris which, in the film, she maintains with her best friend Felix—and coming home to her supportive sister, Mona (Alice Butaud), and adorable nephew, Tom (Roman Angel).
However, Agathe feels stagnant after the untimely death of her parents—in a brutal car accident that leaves her fearful of driving—plagued by writer’s block and a nonexistent love life. Needless to say, she is completely out of her comfort zone after Felix sends the unfinished chapters of her work-in-progress romance novel to an esteemed English writers’ residency run by Jane Austen’s descendents, one of whom is the handsome Oliver (Charlie Anson) who charms Agathe from the beginning of her bumpy journey to the residency.
Agathe, despite her flaws, is an immensely likeable character with a quirky sense of humor and a refreshingly authentic personality. This makes her the perfect protagonist to root for as she makes the age-old decision: Should she date her loyal best friend or the annoyingly charming next-door (literally!) neighbor?
While, on paper, this romance is clichéd, Jane Austen Wrecked My Life excels in taking this classic love story to the next level with humorous antics filled to the brim with miscommunications and yearning reminiscent of the eternal Pride and Prejudice (2005). The rural setting only adds to this alluring ambience, the entire film awash in a warm, romantic glow that’ll make any viewer want to curl up in bed with a cup of tea and live vicariously through Agathe.
Language plays an important role in Jane Austen Wrecked My Life as well. While the film is French, the majority of its story takes place in England, making for a screenplay that utilizes a thoughtful mix of French and English. More often than not, English is the language of the professional—as Agathe notably writes in English—while French takes on a personal edge—words of affirmation and proclamations of desire being spoken, almost exclusively, in the language of love.
Conveniently, both Agathe and Oliver are bilingual, making their conversations especially entertaining to watch as they volley back-and-forth in both English and French. This intermingling of languages, while not totally uncommon in French cinema, adds to the comfortable romance that seems to exist throughout the entire film, even when Agathe is completely alone, with only her thoughts and the strange woodland creatures to keep her company.
Speaking of, Jane Austen Wrecked My Life has a weird, borderline unexplored, edge that doesn’t always feel in harmony with its romantic atmosphere. One example is a scene towards the beginning of the film when Agathe becomes newly inspired after seeing (and dancing with) a naked man she sees at the bottom of her saké cup. While visually stunning, the fantastical scene feels out-of-place in a film that takes place in reality, however novel (no pun intended) it may seem.
This disconnection is present in two other scenes during which Agathe, frustrated in the woods that surround the residency, comes face-to-face with what seem to be spitting alpacas, a baffling display that feels more befitting of a low-budget theatrical production than an otherwise well put together and down-to-earth ode to Jane Austen and her groundbreaking works. In spite of the odd scene here or there and a slower-paced second act, Jane Austen Wrecked My Life is an undoubtedly charming modern-day retelling of a classic love story with a well-rounded, relatable female lead who achieves what many of us can only dream of: finding confidence, friends, and a beau at a quaint manor in the English countryside.
First time commenter, but felt had to defend the llama scene, at the least. From a money making stance, most “family” homes now “host” raise, or feature llamas for their fur, interest, or spitting ability, that is, purely an economic decision. Maybe from a cinematic viewpoint, not meaningful. But from a real estate approach, it almost is a trope. Every farm market I attend,(currently in Tidewater Virginia) has at least one llama on display. The sake man dancing scene was just fun for me, and indicative of a creative mind.
I enjoyed the show, and your review was a lovely essay.