Agathe Robinson (Camille Rutherford) is a quiet and intelligent bookseller with a strong love for literature, especially the classic works of Jane Austen. She works with her best friend Félix (Pablo Pauly) and lives with her sister, Mona (Alice Butaud), and her young nephew, Tom (Roman Angel), enjoying a quiet existence. There’s tragedy in her past—she was in a car accident that killed her parents, but she survived. Keeping her father alive through her devotion to literature, Agathe aspires to be an author. When she gets accepted into a Jane Austen residency, Agathe finally has a chance to add some good excitement into her life. Old-fashioned with a heart that yearns for classic romance, Agathe refuses to use dating apps—“I’m not into Uber sex”—and hasn’t had sex with anyone in two years. Her romantic life lives only in her writing, which she anxiously tries to hide from the people around her. But something’s got to change, and the residency is a big chance for something different.
“Jane Austen Wrecked My Life” is the debut feature from writer and director Laura Piani, following Agatha’s journey as writer and lover. Early on, she meets Jane Austen’s young descendant Oliver (Charlie Anson), a prickly literature professor on leave from his university. For years, his parents have run the residency by themselves. Now Oliver’s father (Alan Fairbairn) is in decline, and he’s available to help his mother (Liz Crowther) keep things running smoothly. But despite his lineage, Oliver doesn’t have much respect for Austen as a writer, butting heads with Agathe and her deep respect for the legendary novels. Though it’s evident that these two are meant to fall in love, Piani smartly puts the focus on Agathe’s writing struggles, giving her ambitions just as much space as her romantic prospects. It’s a parallel journey of both artistic discovery and a romantic awakening. Complicating matters is Félix, whom Agathe kisses before she arrives at residency. It’s a loving kiss—one that could easily be seen as the beginning of something. And while she’s immediately fascinated by Oliver, she can’t help but wonder if Félix is who she’s really supposed to be with.
It’s a classic love triangle between a romantic, headstrong woman, her womanizing yet loving best friend, and an intriguing new man with brooding tendencies. “Jane Austen Wrecked My Life” is a movie that has seen other movies, but sets itself apart with a quiet, subdued approach to romantic comedy. There are jokes, but they aren’t loud and broad, so one has to watch closely to catch them. Much like the now-classic “Bridget Jones” franchise, “Jane Austen Wrecked My Life” is primarily a character study, observing Agathe as she struggles to write and fully understand the world around her. Many scenes show her watching others in their writing process, trying to glean what they’re working on. But despite the rich backdrop of a writing residency, not much time is given to the other writers. And once Félix shows up, after Agathe accidentally sends him a romantic voice message, the film zooms in fully onto their dynamic.
“Literature is the only remedy for the disorder of thoughts and feelings,” Agathe says later in the film, quoting her dearly departed father. But perhaps films can do that too? Though it’s obvious where Agathe’s journey as lover and writer is heading, there’s beauty and catharsis to be found in her small realizations. Early in the film, Agathe explains to Oliver that Austen’s writing introduced women into literature as human beings rather than symbols and archetypes. Austen made women the protagonists of her stories, taking their romantic and financial concerns seriously, lending weight to what was then considered frivolous and inconsequential. Who cares which man a woman marries? Well, obviously, the woman does. And she often had to live with that choice, right or wrong. Agathe is considered old-fashioned for giving those choices the weight they deserve, even in a modern time that she barely understands. Luckily for her, there are still romantics, keeping the beauty of real, challenging love alive for those who want to hold on to it. “Jane Austen Wrecked My Life” is a romantic comedy for the quiet, thoughtful lovers who yearn for the sincerity of the past.
