Hello Reader,

I didn't expect to watch Jane Austen Wrecked My Life three times last week.

But I did.

I couldn't help myself.

The first time was to jog my memory so I could record this week's podcast.

The second was because it brought me such ecstatic joy that I wanted to relive it.

The third was to obsess over the details in writer-director Laura Piani's exquisite filmmaking.

• Why does this film fill me with glee and laughter? (It's definitely the verbal wit. But it's the visual wit, too.)
• How is this a film about loneliness, grief, and melancholy — and yet never a downer?
• How does the writing and direction make me feel something about a character, even before I could explain why? (I can tell you now.)
• What do the colours of the costumes mean? (SO much.)
• What precise song lyric inspires a cut at key moments? (OMG THIS ONE. I'll get into this more next week.)

Part rom-com, part thirtysomething coming-of-ager, part Jane Austen tribute, Jane Austen Wrecked My Life is sure to make you laugh, and probably even cry.

In one week, it's gone from a film I really liked to one I'm ready to declare one of this year's best.

(And it's only 90 minutes.)

The film (which is mainly in French) centres on thirtysomething Agathe (Camille Rutherford), an aspiring novelist in Paris who's stuck — emotionally, creatively, and even romantically — after the sudden loss of her parents years ago.

When she gets a spot at the Jane Austen Residency, a writer’s retreat in England, it might just be, as her bestie puts it, "the kick up the ass she needs" to get unstuck. (If she can finally deal with her grief...and maybe fall in love?)

If you're a Jane Austen superfan, this film is, as the title suggests, made for you.

But even if you're thinking, "Jane Austen, who?" I have good news for you. You don't need to know anything about Austen (let alone like her work) to fall for this film...

I'll even unpack the Austen references for you in the episode so you can appreciate them, too.

Jane Austen Wrecked My Life is in US/Canada cinemas today, and will be out in the U.K. on June 14.

On the podcast, I dig into:

• How the film makes you laugh — until Agathe lets her heartbreak in and we feel it too
• How Laura Piani’s frame composition reveals where Agathe is — and isn’t — in her life
• How the film’s structure mirrors Agathe’s emotional arc
• How Jane Austen’s archetypes and parts of her plots are reimagined for today (in a way you can understand even if you're not familiar with Austen at all)
• How every aspect of the filmmaking is firing on all cylinders (to the point you'd probably be surprised to hear it's a first feature)
• ...and much more!

As always, I’m not just sharing a film recommendation here. I’m sharing the lens I bring — a way of seeing how films work beneath the surface through frame composition, costumes, structure, and visual storytelling.

🎧 Listen to the episode here:

• ​Listen on Spotify​
• ​Listen on Apple Podcasts​
• ​Listen on Seventh Row​

Cheers,

Alex

P.S. If you love films like Jane Austen Wrecked My Life — beautifully crafted in a way that rewards a closer look — Reel Ruminators could be your kind of place.

Each month, we watch one such film and gather for a small-group discussion, with thoughtful guidance on what to watch and listen for.

It’s not too late to join us for May:
🗓️ Thursday, May 29 at 2 p.m. ET
🎟️ $30 USD
👉 Join Reel Ruminators​

This month’s pick is a BAFTA-nominated queer drama from South Africa by a filmmaker whose new work just screened at Cannes. The title stays under wraps until you join, but if you love films where the filmmaking is as compelling as the story, this one’s for you.