Jocelyn (Maria Bello), Kathy Baker (Bernie), Amy Brenneman (Sylvia), Prudie (played by Emily Blunt- is brought to the group by Bernie) are all friends with distinctly different personalities and chosen life paths. Sylvia is married to her high school sweetheart, who happens to be Jocelyn’s ex. Her husband has left her for another woman and she is not taking this very well. Their lesbian daughter is not too happy about her dad’s affair either and she seeks happiness through the extreme sports. Jocelyn is beautiful, single, loves dogs and as much as she enjoys fixing people up, she doesn’t seem that interested in dating herself. Bernie seems to be the quirky and extra colorful one. She has been married many times yet she is not the least pessimistic about romance and relationships. She is also friends with the French teacher Prudie who considers herself much more European. She is married to Dean (Marc Blucas) who doesn’t match her intellectually and they don’t seem to have much in common anyway. One of her students- appropriately played by the sexy Kevin Zegers has set his eyes on her and she is ready and willing to be seduced. After all this might really spice up her otherwise very dull and predictable life.

The women decide to start a book club, reading Jane Austen’s novels. It will be fun and it is supposed to provide distraction for…..When Jocelyn meets the younger and cute Grigg (Hugh Dancy), she decides to include him in the book club- secretly planning to hook him up with Sylvia. Of course sci-fi nut Grigg has agreed to be in the club to get close to Jocelyn.

Months pass by as this group reads, gathers and talks about the books. We see the relationships developed- and the comparisons/resemblance to real life events/characters as more funny and complicated events follow. After all, Jocelyn doesn’t seem all that pleased with her own matchmaking plans after a while.

Yes, this is I guess easily a chick flick. But if a guy is in the complaining mode about women and not figuring about what they want and why they want that stuff, it might wash over well. And Dancy’s character provides a lovely take on sci-fi and why it is not simply about “aliens and spaceships” but rather people – he insists that Jocelyn reads his favorites. It is all in the name of good fun as sexes gather a better understanding of each other through classic novels. And it helps if you like Austen.