Unleashing Mr. Darcy

Clara: [Looking at list of available Hallmark movies on the library website] Ok so this one appears to be like Pride and Prejudice...but with dogs.

Olivia: ....with dogs? Like with dogs as the characters?

#WishboneDidItFirst

Clara: Haha no. Like Elizabeth and Darcy both love dogs and they meet at a dog show.

Olivia: Ohhhhhh...Not sure if that is better or worse.

Yes, in the grand tradition of Pride and Prejudice with Mormons and Pride and Prejudice with zombies, it's Pride and Prejudice with dogs! Mr. Darcy is a dog show judge, and Elizabeth is someone who shows dogs at dog shows!

Ok, so dogs aside, this had the seeds of a not terrible idea. I actually like the Mormon Pride and Prejudice so I have no problem with a contemporary, silly version of P&P.  One clever piece of the premise is that Elizabeth's mother owns a bridal salon which then made it totally reasonable that she was intensely interested in her daughters' marital prospects. It also explained how Jane and Elizabeth were able to get fancy (but kind of bridesmaidy) gowns on short notice for an event at the end.

Elizabeth is played by Cindy Busby who we know as mean but sometimes good but still pretty mean lawyer Rebecca Jennings on Cedar Cove (there will definitely be a Cedar Cove post at some point). She also had a brief arc on When Calls the Heart as a woman who was really angry at a guy in town because he "killed" her sister (he was a doctor and she died during a risky surgery). So as Elizabeth Bennet she is...really mean and angry. It is a weird energy to bring to the story, because it makes Darcy sympathetic from the beginning. He is abrupt and cold to her AS A JUDGE at ONE dog show and she is vicious to him at every opportunity from then on.

HOW DARE YOU BE FORMAL DURING JUDGING

Look, this is the era of Trump and #TimesUp so I want to applaud women for refusing to take sh*t from men. But her dislike of Darcy seems totally out of proportion.  There is no Wickham subplot in this movie, so there isn't anything terrible she thinks he has done. He is a little stiff and formal, but he almost immediately tries to be friendly, welcoming, and encouraging to Elizabeth. But for 90% of the movie she is just like WE ARE SWORN ENEMIES HE HATES ME AND I HATE HIM EVERYTHING IS TERRIBLE I WILL BURN IT ALL DOWN.

This is her "secretly in love" face

This movie had some charming moments and parts where they literally just hang out with some adorable puppies, but the whole effect is wrecked by Elizabeth being dialed up to 11 the whole time and you just want to shake her and be like CHILL OUT.

I REFUSE TO BE CHILL

Also, the movie's portrayal of regional dog shows was pretty ridiculous. For one, while all the other handlers stood with their dogs in the ring during the whole judging process, Elizabeth would be sitting in the audience and only enter the ring when her name was called and then go sit down again (so she could have drama with the Lady Catherine character or just complain about Darcy to her friends). Second, when it becomes clear that something is going on between these two, a question arises about Darcy being impartial as a judge. Both are adamant that nothing is going on and there is no conflict of interest. But then in the final scene they literally make out in the middle of the ring during a competition and instead of being like WTF the other contestants applaud.

Cheese rating: One out of five wedges of cheese. Puppy time aside, not very cheesy.

Wine rating: Two glasses of wine. Some residual spice from being based on a Jane Austen classic (or "Austin" as spelled on the back of the DVD) but nothing earthshaking.

Hot men: Unquestionably the actor playing Darcy has very nice face parts but Elizabeth comes on so strong that he ends up being kind of unmemorable.