There’s lots of reports and reviews coming from the Toronto International Film Festival on The Jane Austen Book Club. The reviews range from good to so-so, and not a few of them are of the variety of “it’s the ultimate chick-flick, men will have to have a testosterone transplant after they go, blah blah blah.” Fortunately for the men who are secure in their Janeiteism, Dennis Harvey at Variety disagrees:

One character in “The Jane Austen Book Club” describes the author’s novels as chick-lit that most men would enjoy if they gave it a chance; similarly, the film is a “chick flick” guys might well grok if they could be roped in. Sure, there are no CGI or explosions, but it’s hard not to become engrossed in the seriocomic relationship tangles writer-director Robin Swicord deftly adapts from Karen Joy Fowler’s bestselling 2004 novel. Lacking major drawing-card thesps, this polished charmer could become a sleeper hit if allowed to slowly build word of mouth and screen count.

“phileysmiley” also found his manhood shockingly unthreatened by the film–and even managed to enjoy it.

As far as the film is concerned, I’ll post a lot more about it when I can, but I have to tell you how surprised I was. I expected a “chick flick,” as well as one where you’d have to have read Jane Austen in order to really appreciate it. Well, I am most definitely not a chick and I never read Jane Austen but I was pleasantly surprised. The film is very funny and touching and I loved it, as did the audience. It comes out on September 21 and I highly recommend it.

So there! TJABC was described to us by someone who had attended an early screening as the only recent Jane Austen movie made for grownups (rather than being directed toward the crowd that likes pirate and princess movies). This gives us great hope.

Don’t worry, ladies, we didn’t forget about you. Have some Jimmy Smits (sort of) talking about Persuasion. Be still our heart. And Hugh Dancy on Page Six!

the baby-faced British actor - after noting the recent Jane Austen renaissance, with “Becoming Jane” and several film adaptations in the works - told Page Six, “I wonder if she’d be pleased. She might be horrified, spinning in her grave.”

We think she would have a sense of humor about it, at least.

Thanks to Alert Janeites Lisa and Diane for sending in some of these links!