The Milwaukee Post

September 13, 2013 • Milwaukee Post • 17 Premise of 'Austenland' lone bright spot of film By TOM JOZWIK Special to The Post MILWAUKEE – The premise is interesting enough. A Jane Austen "addict" from America purchases a vacation package that promises "the world's only immersive Austen experience." Jane Hayes will briefly enjoy a high society existence reflecting England's Regency era, a time in and about which the author lived and wrote 200 years ago. Anachronistic activities and clothing, a period mansion, carriages and costumed actors – even a simulated romance for every paying customer – will facilitate participants' trips back in time. Happily, Keri Russell is the main ingredient in this mix. Russell, who played the title character in the bygone "Felicity" television series, is rather a riveting 'Austenland' ★ Starring: Keri Russell, Jennifer Coolidge, JJ Field, Bret McKenzie, Jane Seymour Director: Jerusha Hess Running time: 97 minutes Rating: PG-13 Showings: www.marcustheatres.com screen presence and her Hayes is sweet, attractive and down to earth – so sweet and attractive you wonder how she can be legitimately described as "unlucky in love," so down to earth you find it unbelievable she's subjugated her life to the archaic world of a writer, albeit a very gifted one. While the protagonist and story line are promising (and the romance aspect of the romantic comedy proves commendably unpredictable), "Austenland's" creative duo of screenwriter Shannon Hale, on whose novel the film is based, and screenwriter-rookie director Jerusha Hess have made a gargantuan error by spiking the film with shopworn characters and situations, as well as dialogue few viewers will mistake for clever. Cliché-heavy "Austenland" simply isn't funny. What is laughable, anymore, about an aged serial masher, a flaming thespian, a blonde dullard with a heart of gold, a haughty superior cut down to size? In how many movies have we been subjected to truly awful singing, subplots about terrible talent shows, unbelievably boisterous confrontations in public places (such as airports) that attract the amused attention of every employee and patron in the venue? Who except the most easily entertained will so much as chuckle at lines like "I really adore conversating" and "Tally-ho! A-hunting we will go"? And, what's more, using near-contemporary music like the song "Bette Davis Eyes" in counterpoint to near-antediluvian activities worked a whole lot better in – to cite one other 2013 film – Baz Luhrmann's "The Great Gatsby." Anybody out there seeking his or her own "immersive Austen experience" should bypass the movie theater and head to the nearest Barnes & Noble. There, for less than the cost of "Austenland," one is likely to obtain any of the Austen books whose passages fictional Jane Hayes took to memorizing in her teens. Northwestern Mutual creates Facebook campaign for childhood cancer research Post Staff MILWAUKEE – Northwestern Mutual has announced it has created a Facebook campaign called Heroes for a Cure that will help to raise funds for childhood cancer research. The Northwestern Mutual campaign aims to raise $50,000 in September, which is equal to 1,000 hours of research, according to a company statement. Each time the Heroes for a Cure video on Northwestern Mutual's Facebook page is shared, $2 will be donated to Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation, up to $50,000. The video honors two researchers, Drs. Michael Hogarty and John Maris; their teams; and two of the children they are helping, 8-year-old Brooke Mulford and 10year-old Tony Salerno. "Hearing the stories of children like Tony and Brooke facing such a devastating illness can leave anyone feeling helpless. What we're doing is offering a small way that each of us can show our support, with the goal of finding cures," said John Kordsmeier, president of the Northwestern Mutual Foundation. Traffic crashes killed 63 in August Post Staff MILWAUKEE – Sixty-three people died in 61 traffic accidents last month on Wisconsin roadways, according to preliminary statistics from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Last month was the fourth safest month of August in terms of traffic deaths on Wisconsin roadways since the end of World War II, according to the WisDOT. The safest August was in 2009, when there were 52 traffic fatalities. There were no fatal motorcycle accidents in Milwaukee County during the Harley-Davidson 110th anniversary celebration, which was held Aug. 29 to Sept. 1, according to the news release. Across the state, there were eight deaths, including four motorcycle drivers, during the 2013 Labor Day weekend. Last year, 10 people died during the holiday weekend. Submitted photo Ride for a good cause OAK CREEK – A young child gets ready to ride a pony during the American Cancer Society pony ride at the 33rd annual Potter's Piggly Wiggly anniversary celebration.

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