PREVIEW: Jane Austen Wrecked My Life (2025 Film) - Stars Camille Rutherford

Images: Icon Film Distribution

By Jon Donnis

Icon Film Distribution brings a fresh take on romantic comedy to UK screens this summer with Jane Austen Wrecked My Life, opening in cinemas from 13 June. Directed by acclaimed screenwriter Laura Piani in her feature debut, the film blends whimsical charm with self-discovery, offering a modern spin on the timeless pull of classic romance.

Pablo Pauly and Camille Rutherford dance in Jane Austen Wrecked My Life (Courtesy of Icon Film Distribution)

At the heart of the story is Agathe, a chaotic yet endearing Parisian bookseller who has all but resigned herself to the sidelines of love and ambition. Though she dreams of the grand emotions found in Austen's pages, real life hasn't lived up to the fantasy. That changes when she's invited to a Jane Austen Writers' Residency in England, forcing her to finally confront the gap between her imagination and reality.

Camille Rutherford and Pablo Pauly by the sea in Jane Austen Wrecked My Life (Courtesy of Icon Film Distribution)

Set partly in the legendary Shakespeare & Co bookshop and infused with the atmosphere of Austen's own Chawton, the film draws on Piani's personal experiences. Her goal, she says, was to create a story where the heroine doesn't need saving. Agathe must come into her own as a writer and as a person before love even becomes an option.

Liz Crowther in Jane Austen Wrecked My Life (Courtesy of Icon Film Distribution)

The film stars Camille Rutherford (Anatomy of a Fall), Pablo Pauly (The French Dispatch), Charlie Anson (Death on the Nile), and Annabelle Lengronne (Mother and Son). Early responses praise its balance of nostalgic rom-com flair with sharp, contemporary writing.

Annabelle Lengronne, Liz Crowther, Camille Rutherford in Jane Austen Wrecked My Life (Courtesy of Icon Film Distribution)

Described by Variety as "a delectable modern rom-com" and by ScreenDaily as "a kooky French riff on the famed 18th-century novelist," Jane Austen Wrecked My Life is set to charm fans of both literary romance and character-driven comedy.

Icon Film Distribution presents Jane Austen Wrecked My Life in cinemas from 13 June