The lovely Anya Taylor-Joy plays Emma Woodhouse, Austen's only heroine who is "handsome, clever, and rich," so this movie feels very different from all other Austen adaptations. Here we have a heroine who isn't striving for a husband or wealth; she is far more interested in being a matchmaker for her friends. In fact, given her hypochondriac father (played by the always delightful Bill Nighy), who is perpetually wary of sitting in a draught and wants Emma by his side at all times, it doesn't seem like she will ever leave her house. Instead, she befriends Harriet Smith (Mia Goth, who is perfectly cast as the cheerful but dim Harriet), and begins to mess with that poor woman's head with well-intentioned but utterly ruinous notions of romance and her station in life.
And then there's Emma's brother-in-law, Mr. Knightley, played by Johnny Flynn, who like most Austen heroes, takes a bit of getting used to, and then by the end is utterly swoon-worthy. It also helps that since this is a movie directed by a woman, we get the chance to see him naked (from behind, I hasten to add; we wouldn't want Austen to roll in her grave too much). He is the only character who cuts Emma down to size and isn't constantly telling her what a beautiful and intelligent woman she is. So naturally, you can see where that's going. But that journey takes place against a backdrop of magnificent green English scenery, with acres of rolling hills and gorgeous gardens, conservatories bursting with flowers, parlors laden with delicate teapots and mouthwatering pastries (I got spectacularly hungry halfway through this movie as I happened to be watching during tea time), grand English estates, bustling English villages, and sumptuous carriages that would put Porsche to shame. And if the production design and cinematography by Christopher Blauvelt wasn't gorgeous enough, oh the costumes. Costume designer Alexandra Byrne has outdone herself - I wanted to wear every dress, bonnet, and shawl on display. There are also a lot of scenes in which we watch characters being dressed by their servants, offering a glimpse at all the effort that goes into these period costumes. It was particularly intriguing to watch Knightley get dressed by his valet as we are used to seeing the women of this period getting corseted and gussied up, but pay nary a thought to the men.
One of my favorite scenes in the novel is when Knightley has to yell at Emma for something she did that was "badly done." This movie does not disappoint in capturing the emotion of both the thing she did and its aftermath (the thing she did involves Miss Bates, played by Miranda Hart, who is a casting coup and an actress I can never get enough of). And that's what I enjoyed most about this movie. While Emma cries buckets, we're also allowed to see Knightley give in to a tear or two. There's a wonderful scene where he is so overwhelmed by his feelings that he charges home and collapses on the floor. Hitherto, that is a move I've only seen teenage girls indulge in on film, but I think more men would benefit if they just dropped to the floor and had a tantrum. Even towards the end, when he finally makes it to the altar (spoiler alert?), he has to wipe away a happy tear on his cheek. Perhaps that is the greatest gift of women making films. They no longer hold men to some stoic, masculine standard. Men can now be allowed to be emotional too. Austen heroes are usually strong and silent, and then after a brief display of romantic passion, they win the girl and go on to happily ever after. But in this movie, we're allowed to indulge in the emotionality of all that romance and the toll it takes before the happy ending.
Emma is a fantastic movie. I couldn't tear my eyes away from the screen the entire time. Every set was dripping with stunning detail, every character was bedecked with finery that spoke to their social status and individuality, every frame was astonishing. The music is also arresting, with a score composed by David Schweitzer and Isobel Waller-Bridge (sister of Phoebe!) and the inclusion of some wonderful English folk songs that are anachronistic but fitting. The cast is an absolute joy and every single actor seems born to play their role (Josh O'Connor as the creepy Mr. Elton is a particular delight given that he was just playing Prince Charles in The Crown last year). Autumn de Wilde is a renowned music video director and photographer, so it makes sense that she knows how to stage the perfect shot and convey everything you need to know about a scene purely from the visuals before anyone has even spoken a word. So watch Emma. It's a bright and shining beacon of beauty and we need much more of that in the world.
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