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Jane Austen’s novels have been adored by English majors for centuries. Her works have been adapted for film and television over and over again. But for those who imagine her stories to be old-fashioned and stuffy, the latest adaptation of Emma. might be a surprise.
Emma. follows the misguided adventures of Emma Woodhouse (Anya Taylor-Joy), a pretty, pampered young woman who has nothing but time on her hands. So she decides to devote her time to making matches—much to the dismay of her disapproving neighbor, George Knightley (Johnny Flynn). Her pet project is Harriet Smith (Mia Goth), a timid and awkward girl whom Emma believes to be destined for so much more than the poor farmer who wants to marry her. But as Emma sets out to find a better match for Miss Smith, she discovers that she might not know as much about love as she once thought.
As is generally the case for films adapted from Jane Austen’s novels, Emma. is a beautiful film—with lush settings, eye-catching costumes, and over-the-top displays of wealth and privilege. It’s a story of attractive young women and rich, handsome men falling in love (according to their upbringing and social standing, of course)—and, on occasion, joining together to dance at a ball. And it’s easy to get caught up in the romance and the period touches.
But don’t let the old-fashioned gowns and bonnets and the nineteenth-century traditions fool you. The original story may be more than 200 years old, but Austen’s timeless classic is one of the novels that inspired the rom-com genre. Austen clearly wrote Emma with a devilish grin on her face—and this adaptation embraces the author’s quirky sense of humor. There’s really nothing serious about Emma, this well-meaning yet selfish, snobbish mess of a young woman who thinks that she can control the hearts and minds of the people around her. She’s a maddening character who’s also entirely entertaining. And supporting characters like Bill Nighy’s persnickety Mr. Woodhouse, Josh O’Connor’s creepy Mr. Elton, and Miranda Hart’s chatty Miss Bates simply add to the fun with actions that will often catch you off guard and surprise you into laughter.
Emma. certainly isn’t the stuffy, outdated drama that some might expect. In fact, it’s undeniably charming, delightfully over-the-top, and often laugh-out-loud funny. If you give it a chance, you might discover the secret that English majors have been keeping for ages: that Jane Austen knew how to write a wildly entertaining story.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
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