It's a little rude to betray the wishes of an author who kept certain books out of public view. Still, examining early, inferior, or neglected manuscripts can enable a richer understanding of the author's work. So in a sense, director Whit Stillman's unearthing of a very young Jane Austen's unpublished novella from the late 1700s, Lady Susan—which, in film form, has been retitled Love & Friendship—is perfectly justifiable. But don't get too excited.
Kate Beckinsale is in her element as Susan, a robust exemplar of 18th century feminism, in so far as it functioned among British society, anyway. An unsentimental widow, Susan is intent on securing the financial survival of herself and her daughter, Frederica (Morfydd Clark), through the procurement of rich husbands. The most charismatic person in every room she enters, Susan bulldozes and manipulates everyone in her path, equally admired and reviled by her detractors. Beckinsale portrays her with natural ease, delivering the dense, florid dialogue in precise cadence and at whiplash pace.