EMMA
Directed by: Autumn de Wilde
Running time: 2 hours 4 minutes
Release date: February 21, 2020
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance, Adaptation, and Remake
Distributor: Focus Features
MPAA Rating: PG

A novel first published in 1815 by Jane Austen, tells a story about youthful hubris and romantic misunderstandings.  The setting is a fictional country village of Highbury and the surrounding estates of Hartfield, Randalls, and Donwell Abbey and involves the relationships among people from a small number of families.

Emma, is a tale that explores the difficulties and concerns of genteel women living in the Georgian-Regency England.  The narrative is focused on Emma Woodhouse, a handsome, clever, and rich nearly 21 year old woman.  She lives in a comfortable home with very little to distress her spoiled, headstrong, and self-satisfying personality; she greatly overestimates her own matchmaking abilities; she is blind to the dangers of meddling in other people's lives; and her imagination and perceptions often lead her astray.

In this formulated romantic dramedy, with mis-matched lovers and female relationships, the plot is melodramatic and gives a rise to gal-pal scenarios.  Yet, it is also a film depicting family crises and emotional carthasis along with empowering female bonding situations.

The all-encompassing cast is led by Emma Wodhouse (Anya Taylor-Joy), the protagonist.  She is a beautiful, high-spirited, intelligent, and slightly spoiled young woman from the landed gentry.  Her mothe died when she was young, which delegates her as mistress of the house of Hartfield since her older sister Isabella got married.  Emma is portrayed as compassionate to the poor, but at the same time has a strong sense of class status.  Although she has vowed she will never marry, she delights in making matches for others.  She has a brief flirtation with Frank Churchill (Callum Turner), an amiable young man liked by almost everyone, although Emma's friend/critic and neighbor Mr. George Knightley (Johnny Flynn) sees him as immature and selfish for failing to visit his once widowed father after his new wedding.

This 1800s  period piece film is a sprawling epic and an engaging brilliant romp that covers a large expanse of time set against a vast, panoramic backdrop.  The production takes on an extravagant setting and period, lavish costumes, and accompany everything with grandeur and spectacle, dramatic scope, high production values, and a sweeping musical score.

Emma has been the subject of many adaptations for film, TV, radio and the stage.  Film adaptations: 1995 Clueless, 1996 Emma, and 2010 Aisha.  There are also, 8 TV adaptations and 5 stage productions.

The outstanding supporting cast members, Bill Nighy as patriarch Mr. Woodhouse, Mia Goth, Myra McFadyen, Josh O'Connor, Rupert Graves, Gemma Whelan, Amber Anderson, Miranda Hart, Tanya Reynolds, Suzy Bloom Vanessa M. Owen, and Isis Hainsworth make this modernized narrative a quite moving and enjoyable addition to Jane Austen's legacy.

FILM RATING (B)