Emma. – Review

Emma.

Directed by: Autumn de Wilde

Runtime: 124 minutes

Emma. has emerged in a very interesting time for female-led period adaptations. As someone who spent many Sunday afternoons swaddled in a variety of blankets, a steaming hot cup of tea in hand and an inclination to read a book but opting to allow television to entertain me instead, I am the prime candidate for such outings. Jane Austen, in particular, resides in a tiny corner of my literature-studying heart. Wish-fulfilment branded regency-era content will always satisfy me to some degree, and it is nice to see both Emma. and Little Women adapted in a meaningful manner by directors who just seem to… get it.

Speaking of Little Women, it is clear that Emma. is going to find it difficult to step out of the former’s shadow. Meanwhile, others are going to negatively compare it to Valley-Girl romantic comedy (and some may say, the best entry to the rom-com genre) Clueless. In all honestly, I think neither of these comparisons are very worthwhile. Clueless took a classic story and transported it into a modern world, Little Women adapted the classic story with modern sensibilities, and Emma. just… adapts the source material. Does this make it lesser than the other two entries? Not necessarily.

Emma. is one of the funniest Austen adaptations I have ever seen—humour being mostly missing from film and TV adaptations of her work. Despite the original novels being intended to satire Regency society, a lot of adaptations decide, oddly, to play their stories straight. The strength of Emma. isn’t in how it diverges from the source material; it is what has been found within the pages of the novel. A sharp script and charming performances have allowed for this Austen adaptation to make me laugh out loud at points; an accomplishment for dialogue that is, mostly, a few hundred years old.

However, the film’s ultimate strength is in the absolute gorgeosity dripping from its costuming and set design. With pastel palettes and perfect symmetry, there is a definite Wes Anderson-influenced stylistic flair among the mise-en-scène of Emma., with every frame feeling like a period-appropriate master painting. This, mixed with strong performances and a charming screenplay allows for a film that is a delight to watch. Am I the target audience for this? Unashamedly. I am finding it difficult to lend more words to my absolute enjoyment of the film. I suppose, if I loved it less, I would be able to talk about it more.