Paging Mr. Darcy (2024 TV Movie) User Reviews

Not great, not terrible

[Jackbv123 · 6/10 · 7 February 2024]

This movie is borderline for me. I think that is mostly because of Will Kemp and Mallory Jansen. They had decent chemistry and watching them together was about the only good thing in the movie. Lillian Doucet-Roche was only irritating as Mia.

The movie is filled with cliches like all the women going gaga at Sam. But also many of the usual formula tropes. Seriously? Eloise could suddenly cook just so the writer could put her and Sam together. Another common trope is one of the leads helping the other overcome her neurosis.

Acting was mixed with some of the supporting cast being questionable. There was some decent dialogue.

Will Kemp is fantastic in this Austen-centric Hallmark film.

[cgvsluis · 8/10 · 6 February 2024]

Mallory Jansen plays Professor Eloise Cavendish a Jane Austen expert who has been asked to give the key note speech at the annual JALA (Jane Austen League of America) Conference and Ball. She is hoping to impress Victoria Jennings who is on the hiring committee at Princeton for a professorship Eloise has applied for. Unfortunately, Eloise does not get off to the best start by offending Victoria's nephew...her very own Mr. Darcy...aka her guest of honor liaison. And she really puts her foot in it when she says she doesn't like all of the pomp and circumstance...she is not a romantic. Doesn't like balls and dress-up or being the center of attention, that is until she finds out that Victoria does. Then she teams up with Victoria's Nephew Sam Lee to win Victoria over. In the process these two become very close.

I love Jane Austen...with Pride and Prejudice and Persuasion being my favorites, but I confess to having been a little skeptical as to whether I would enjoy this Hallmark Austen-centric film...but I enjoyed it and am looking forward to the other two upcoming for 2024's Lovuary-February.

"I'm a scholar, not some Fitzwilliam Darcy fan girl."-Eloise

I rather enjoyed the chemistry between Mallory Jansen and Will Kemp...but don't get me wrong, Will Kemp makes this Hallmark romantic film and carries off a Darcy costume with panache! This is a recommendation to both Jane Austen fans and romantics alike.

Lower rating for 1 reason

[jalessi-1 · 6/10 · 20 February 2024]

I rated this low for one reason only - I hate the sister (the character). She is immature, self-absorbed, selfish, and extremely annoying. Unfortunately, the actress went over the top in accentuating the character's very negative characteristics. When the sister was onscreen, she took the attention away from the other actors? Including the excellent Will Kemp & Mallory Jansen. Like all narcissists, the sister sucks the air out of the room. We see enough of that in the real world, in a movie I'd prefer a little more subtlety.

The story line, the scenes between the two main actors are engaging & interesting. Will Kemp can mix a sense of regalness (ftom his dance training) with a command of both comedy & drama. There was real chemistry between him & Mallory Jansen.

Hallmark with Subway cheese & deli meats

[spasticfreakshow · 6/10 · 5 February 2024]

This is your usual Hallmark fare, with downgraded food intended as a humorous, but poorly conceived, plot point, inadequate and inconsistent costume work for an Austen conference, and little to no research as to the type of women or vendors that might actually be at such an event invested, prior to the writing phase of the script. Some Austen quotes and character references are peppered throughout, for good measure, but the characters are as one-note and predictable as those of any Hallmark show, and not worthy of a Jane Austen tribute. There were a few redeeming moments: the field trip to the exhibit of Austen correspondence and the preparation of somewhat accurate period piece deserts (which could/should have been brought in on silver platters to cooing of the attendees, but NO) by the leads, but there was no need to devolve all the way to off-brand-Subway deli meats for an elegant garden party just for humor - when trays like that could have easily been arranged at Whole Foods or any local gourmet market. It didn't add humor - it just emphasized the lack of class and substance in the film production itself.

I'm still planning to watch the other Jane Austen movies this month, and I really, genuinely hope they hired a real film writer for at least one of them - I'm a big Austen fan and it would be such a shame if all the films are this much of a missed opportunity. Alternately, if the budget doesn't allow for "Hollywood" writers, hire an Indie writer - someone up and coming, but out of work, just like they do with actors, and tell the writer the script does NOT need to fit the Hallmark tropes, formula and mold to a T. My advice to Hallmark, for any future female author tribute: show RESPECT, ala Aretha Franklin, and put a little more legwork into the script by also hiring outside costumers, outside hair stylists, caterers. Make a bit of an effort. They know how - some Hallmark productions are better than the formula; Hallmark: we can see how your films are all the same and we welcome a bit of creativity. Put in some effort instead of churning them out, particularly when it doth seem of great import to your guests.

fine for Hallmark

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 4 February 2024]

Eloise Cavendish (Mallory Jansen) is a Jane Austen expert and a really big fan. Only she's not a romantic and doesn't see Austen as a romance novelist. She is doing a speech at a Jane Austen conference in order to please organizer Dr. Victoria Jennings (Carolyn Scott) to get a Princeton professorship. Sam Lee (Will Kemp) is playing Mr. Darcy for the conference and is Victoria's nephew. Mia Cavendish (Lillian Doucet-Roche) is Eloise's heart-broken little sister.

At first, I thought they might use the plane passenger to form a love triangle. At last, a triangle is too complicated as a shape for Hallmark. I do like the chemistry and the characters. It's not high drama and Mia is not changing that in the slightest. It's low intensity sweetness. It's perfectly fine for Hallmark.

Well done, Will Kemp!

[freddiebmay · 8/10 · 10 February 2024]

Though Will Kemp might not fit the role of Jane Austen's Fitzwilliam Darcy as well as Colin Firth or Matthew Macfadyen, he certainly fits the role of Sam Lee to a tee, a shy, financially independent nerd who turns into the Jane Austen Lovers of America (JALA) Conference's Darcy once a year---well done!

Mallory Jansen's transformation from a pompous Ph. D. who looks down on people like Sam Lee who attend JALA-type gatherings to someone who, in the end, could enjoy dancing in a batiste evening dress with the JALA crowd seems to have been too abrupt. (I know character transformations can be tricky, so this is not entirely her fault.) Her Doctor Eloise Cavendish (emphasis on the "Doctor") reminds me of Anna Chancellor's villainous Caroline Bingley (in the 1995 Pride and Prejudice miniseries).

Paging my heart!

[ginasharp · 10/10 · 6 April 2024]

Now THIS is the true Hallmark that I have always loved and am so desperately trying to find again. The acting felt natural and not forced. The comedy was so real and cute, I lol'd. The build of the relationship and banter was so endearing- it felt like I was watching a true love happening before my eyes! Love, love, love this. It warmed my heart to watch. I have moved away from Hallmark because they have seemed so forced and worried about being "woke". The couples tend to not feel real but this one has brought me back! So happy I found this on frindly tv. The romantic gestures were heart warming and believable! Enjoyed the sisters growth and the couples! Great job Hallmark. For all hopeful romantics and Jane Austen fans. Glorious to behold!

Yet another terrible result of when Hallmark tries Jane Austen

[countessemily · 3/10 · 6 February 2024]

The best part about this movie is Will Kemp acting as a Mr Darcy for a Jane Austen convention. That is really charming and he pulls off the aloofness, the outfit, and is so believable as a guy playing Mr Darcy.

The rest is cringe. Mallory's character is so unlikable and rude, to the point where you don't care about her. The sister side plot: super annoying. The actress playing the sister, she played her so over the top, and irritating!!

While Mallory and Will COULD have been a great screen couple, the writing is unfortunately terrible. Plus, she's just so nasty to him. When they kiss at the end, you don't even believe it, nor are you wanting for it to happen.

I hate it when Hallmark tries to re-do something classic, or put their own spin on something that's already perfect. This is another example of that. Just don't waste your time.