As a fan of Jane Austen and historical dramas, the only adaptations of her work I've seen are the different versions of Pride And Prejudice. Then I watched the trailer of Emma (2020) online and was immediately sucked in mostly because Anya Taylor Joy and Bill Nighy are part of the cast. I'm a fan of these two actors especially Bill Nighy because his mannerisms in movies make me laugh.
It turns out this movie is one of four adaptations of Jane Austen's Emma and I may want to watch the others and make some comparisons. But first, a synopsis of this fine period drama.
Emma. (2020) is a historical romantic comedy directed by Autumn de Wilde from a screenplay by Eleanor Catton. It's an adaptation of Jane Austen's novel of the same name first published in 1815. This movie stars Anya Taylor-Joy, Bill Nighy, Mia Goth, Johnny Flynn and other actors.
It's about Emma (Anya Taylor-Joy), a young wealthy woman who lives with her aged father at the Hatfield Estate. She has no interested in getting married but believes herself to be good at matchmaking, having arranged the wedding of her governess to Mr Weston. She wants to matchmaker her friend, Harriet (Mia Goth), an orphan attending the local girls’ school, to their vicar, Mr Elton.
But Harriet is already in love with a local farmer, Robert Martin. When he proposed, Emma convinces Harriet to turn him down. This annoys George Knightley (Johnny Flynn), her brother-in-law, who is frequently at her house. He calls her out on this reckless move.
Emma's plan goes sideways when Mr Elton expresses his affection for her in a carriage and proposes. She's shocked and realises her plans had failed. Just then, an old friend, Jane Fairfax returns to the village with Frank Churchill, a wealthy man. She takes an immediate liking to Frank and this makes George Knightley unhappy. Will Emma's matchmaking skills improve or get worse? Could marriage be in the works for her?
My Review And Rating
If this adaptation were based on another author's work, I would still love it simply because the director, Autumn de Wilde, did a fantastic job putting this movie together. I understand it's her first feature yet you would think she had been doing this for a long time.
There's nothing special or original about the plot. If you are familiar with Jane Austen, it's all drama focused on marriage and inheritance in the regency era. The storytelling however is perfect in my opinion. This adaptation is elegant and comedic. The acting is outstanding. Every movement, facial and body expressions of the actors are well timed and coordinated, adding depth to the characters. Even the servants and footmen move in a uniformed manner that would make you think this was a play and not a movie.
I love Anya Taylor-Joy as Emma. She embodies this role convincingly like she was born for it. She's confident, unbothered and spoiled to point of having a say in people's lives and sometimes manipulating them. She's not a very likable character at first but when she's reprimanded for some bad behaviours, she humbles herself and quickly makes amend. I think her friendship with Harriet is what grounds her. I like the two of them together.
I find George Knightley to be an interesting character and Johnny Flynn plays him very well. He's sort of moody, lazy and his interest in Emma is obvious from the beginning though not to him until much later in the movie. He's tough on Emma, always calls her out on irrational behaviours and yet, he finds a way to communicate his love to her. Their on-screen chemistry is charming especially the ballroom dance scene.
As always, Bill Nighy as Emma's father gives me some laughs. He's present in most scenes but doesn't say much. His role is more comedic yet he plays the caring father very well.
Apart from excellent directing and acting, what makes this movie stand out is the outstanding cinematography. When watching period dramas, how the visuals is presented is very important. And since Autumn de Wilde is also a photographer, her skills gives us a visual beauty. I like that this movie is brightly lit, even with night scenes where candles are the only source of light in the room. Every scene is rich in colour especially the landscapes. The costumes look polished and attractive. Even if you're not a fan of historical dramas, the visuals alone would make you want to watch it.
This review wouldn't be complete without my take on the soundtracks. They are traditional English songs placed perfectly into every scene and they highlight the delicacy the Regency periods is known for.
Rating this movie, I'll give it 7.5 stars out of 10. Autumn de Wilde did a brilliant work putting this movie together. Her photography skills elevates this movie and the acting makes it more entertaining.
All images above are screenshots from the movie
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