I rented the movie Possession from Blockbuster earlier this week and just now got a chance to watch it.  I read the novel upon which the movie is based, A. S. Byatt’s Possession, some seven years ago upon the recommendation of my husband (I loved it, and if you are a lover of literature and/or the Victorian era, you will, too).

I found the movie to be a faithful rendition of the novel, with some changes that I didn’t mind and that didn’t alter the storyline significantly.  The actresses who played Maud Bailey (Gwyneth Paltrow), Christabel LaMotte (Jennifer Ehle), and Blanche Glover (Lena Headey) were all especially well cast.  While Aaron Eckhart wasn’t how I pictured Roland Mitchell, he was good in the role.  In fact, I suppose the most major change in the story was altering Roland’s nationality from British to American.

All in all, if you haven’t seen it and want to curl up with a smart, bookish movie this weekend, go see if you can find it at your video store.

Bonus: Here’s a great reading group guide for the novel, which you should really read.

[tags]possession, a. s. byatt, dvd, film, movie, review[/tags]