In 
school (back in the ice age) I read "Jane Eyre" and quickly forgot it.
Around that time one of the many movie versions came out starring Orson Welles as Rochester and Joan Fontaine as Jane and still remember his towering performance. I saw the latest
movie version this afternoon and have already forgotten most of it.

I have now seen Mia Wasikowska in 3 movies: "Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland", "The Kids Are All
Right" and today in "Jane Eyre". She is one of those rare actresses who
disappear into a role and she does the same in this film. She is the
plain, poor woman with a streak of independence who meets the love of
her life who has a secret that could destroy both her and him. I don't
know if I would recognize Miss Wasikowska off screen but I am looking forward to not recognizing her on screen.

Michael Fassbender is an impressive Rochester while you are watching the film but his performance doesn't stay with you or appear to be the stronger of the couple, only richer.

As always Judi Dench is strong in her role as Rochester's housekeeper while Sally Hawkins doesn't come through as the hard hearted aunt. The rest of the cast is adequate but none stand out.

While the director Cary Joji Fukunaga and the screenwriter Moira Buffinithe costumes and production design are first rate the music is off putting in too many scenes.
do justice to the Charlotte Bronte novel and we have all the standard
Gothic effects like the fog on the moors, heroines running through mud,
horses rearing on their hind legs and fires in an old English manor the movie loses its rhythm and moves too slow at certain points. While

The only reason for seeing this movie is the performance by Mia Wasikowska.