BASED on Karen Joy Fowler’s novel about a bunch of white chicks (and one guy) in Sacramento who use Jane Austen’s books as a form of self-help therapy, “The Jane Austen Book Club” is actually better than it sounds.
This slick, décor-heavy directorial debut by veteran screenwriter Robin Swicord has the much-married mother hen Bernadette (Kathy Baker) organizing once-a-month meetings devoted to Austen’s six novels.
It’s primarily designed to cheer up Sylvia (Amy Brenneman), whose husband of two decades (Jimmy Smits) has just dumped her.
Besides Bernadette, Sylvia and Sylvia’s daredevil lesbian daughter Allegra (Maggie Grace), the group includes their longtime friend Jocelyn (Maria Bello), a dog breeder who is mourning the death of a favorite pet.
To fill out the group, Bernadette brings in Prudie (Emily Blunt), a French teacher whose haughty manner barely disguises the fact that she’s so neglected by her hubby (Marc Blucas) she’s tempted to have an affair with a student (Kevin Zegers).
To some of the women’s horror, Jocelyn recruits the wealthy, motorcycle-riding Grigg (Hugh Dancy), a sci-fi fan who is unfamiliar with Austen’s books. Jocelyn sees him as an ideal fling to console the older Sylvia, though he seems more interested in the icy Jocelyn, who, like Allegra, has commitment issues.
The predictable plotting is no “Pride and Prejudice,” though it is somewhat preferable to the recent Austen pseudo-biopic “Becoming Jane.”
“The Jane Austen Book Club” is worth watching primarily for Blunt, the delicious scene-stealer from “The Devil Wears Prada.” She’s so persuasive, she even makes you believe a scene in which Prudie gets her hubby to not only read but also love “Persuasion.”
THE JANE AUSTEN BOOK CLUB
** 1/2
Uber chick flick.
Running time: 105 minutes. Rated PG-13 (sexuality, profanity, drugs). At the Lincoln Square, the Cinema 1, the Union Square.