A new film based on Jane Austen's novel Emma (2020).
Jane Austen's beloved novel has often been adapted, because its comedy works great on screen. Actresses like Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Beckinsale and Romola Garai have already played the eponymous heroine of the novel, the heiress Emma Woodhouse.
In 2020, a new adaptation brings a modern touch to this classic, which will especially charm lovers of period pieces. The decor, costumes and cinematography are beautiful, and the partly lengthy dialogues have been shortened to an overall average cinema length, without losing any of the best moments.
The fact that this film was created by a female director, Autumn de Wilde, may be only a detail, but her presence is felt throughout the film. Rising actress Anya Taylor-Joy is a witty heroine, and all the great supporting figures from the novel are given enough room in the film: the worried father (Bill Nighy), the stern Mr. Knightley (Johnny Flynn), the silly priest (Josh O'Connor), the dashing new arrival Mr. Churchill (Callum Turner) and the naive friend (Mia Goth). While some characters such as Miss Bates and Jane Fairfax have smaller roles than in other adaptations, this only creates more of a focus on the main characters.
A few clever ideas and unexpected moments keep also keen Austen readers entertained. Charming and lighthearted.
PS: If you prefer longer adaptations, the BBC version with Romola Garai (2009) consists of 4 episodes (and as a bonus, Jonny Lee Miller plays Mr. Knighley) and might be more accessible until cinemas reopen.
(Images: IMDB)