Reese Witherspoon is surprisingly effective as Becky Sharp in Mira Nairs lush adaptation of William Makepeace Thackerays classic novel of Victorian England, VANITY FAIR. Nair tells the compelling story of a young orphan girl, Sharp, who attempts to rise above her station in very class-conscious British society. Sharp enters this very rich and rigid world as a governess who captures the heart of Rawdon Crawley (James Purefoy), who chooses love over the family fortune, a financial decision that could potentially doom the relationship. Meanwhile, her best friend, Amelia Sedley (Romola Garai), lets true love slip right through her fingers. As war rages on against Napoleon and the French, Sharp continues her ascension, though shes met by naysayers and gossipmongers every step of the way. Nair has put together a terrific cast, including Gabriel Byrne, Bob Hoskins, Jim Broadbent, Douglas Hodge, Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, and Rhys Ifans. Natasha Little, who pla