There have been several adaptations of Charlotte Bronte's novel Jane Eyre and for whatever reason, I haven't seen a single one...until now. This one comes courtesy of director Cary Fukunaga (the gifted film-maker behind the brilliant Honduras gangster redemption epic Sin Nombre). In this visually sumptuous take, Mia Wasikowska is the title character--a smart but quiet governess who discovers an unexpected secret revolving around her employer (Michael Fassbender). Jane Eyre has a little bit of everything. It's a haunting drama, it's a love story, it's a beautiful period piece. I greatly prefer the first half to the second.

Early scenes with Jane as a young girl are powerfully effective. The second half of the picture is a bit slow, but with a purpose. Mia Wasikowska is terrific in the lead and Fassbender is solid as the intellectual of her affection. The two prove to have real chemistry and they're final moment on screen is heartfelt. I felt a bit disconnected during the final act of the film, but I was so moved by the first half of the picture and so utterly in awe of the overall look of Jane Eyre (Adriano Goldman's cinematography in particular is first rate) that I greatly look forward to seeing it again. Cary Fukunaga is incredibly talented and between this and Sin Nombre I see a bright future for this outstanding film-maker.