Emma

Starring: Gwyneth Paltrow, Jeremy Northam, Toni Collette, Ewan McGregor, Alan Cumming, James Cosmo, Sophie Thompson, Polly Walker, Phyllida Law, Kathleen Byron
Directed by: Douglas McGrath
Rating: PG
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
1996

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: Emma (Gwyneth Paltrow) is determined to act as matchmaker, an endeavor which causes her to clash with her good friend, Mr. Knightley (Jeremy Northam).

Review:

Tim: I'm a big Jane Austen fan, but my experience with her books and the movie adaptations hasn't included Emma (until now). I really enjoyed this film. It was an entertaining, well-made adaptation that tells an enjoyable story, establishes strong characters, and offers the chance for the effective cast to deliver memorable performances. This is a film that has more substance than you might expect. All in all, it was a fairly delightful piece of entertainment.

Austen did such a fantastic job of developing characters who embody the time period in which she wrote, but displayed such genuine, authentic emotions that they are still relatable today, a few hundred years after she wrote them. This is present in Pride & Prejudice, and the same thing is done in this story. Emma is a relatable hero- kind, others-focused, and yet a bit silly and naive. This combination is irresistible and allows us to care about the character while we watch herself get into several predicaments. The rest of the characters are equally relatable and Austen combines them together to form this microcosm of society that tells an intimate, personal story while effectively commenting on society at large at the time. Douglas McGrath's film perfectly encapsulates this, too. This is a big reason why the movie works so well together. As the film progresses, the characters become more and more real to us. We grow to understand them and sympathize with them. It also helps us better understand the times in which the characters lived. It helps us understand the role of marriage, class differences, and the hopes and fears of women. This is all presented in a package that's easy to mistake as lightweight. This movie (and I'm sure, Austen's novel) have unexpected depth to it.

It certainly helps that the cast in place is wonderful. Gwyneth Paltrow makes for an excellent Emma. Paltrow brings such energy to the role. She's charismatic and likeable, which helps us forgive the character for a series of mistakes. Paltrow's Emma is a force- you understand why so many characters would revolve around her orbit. Paltrow is a talented actress and conveys intelligence even while showcasing the character's naivety. She effortlessly delivers the lines and steps into this character than you really grow to care about her. The same can be said for Jeremy Northam. His Mr. Knightley starts out decently enough, but in small moments throughout the film, he endears himself to the audience. I was quite surprised by the end of the film to realize how much I liked his character. Paltrow shines and she gets so much screen time to win the audience to her side. Northam had to do it in a fraction of the time, yet he accomplishes it all the same. I liked Paltrow and Northam's interactions and banter. They were quite good together, another big reason I enjoyed the movie so much.

The supporting cast is so strong, too. Ewan McGregor is dashing and charismatic as Frank Churchill. He doesn't show up for a while, but as soon as he does, the movie gets better. He gives a strong supporting performance. Toni Collette was wonderful, too. I may not always love her, but she's a talented actress and gives a faultless performance here. Her talent is bigger than this role, but she elevates the character. Alan Cumming was wonderfully cast, too. He's another terrific talent who makes Mr. Elton more memorable than he might have otherwise been. The rest of the cast, including James Cosmo and Sophie Thompson, who brings both ridiculousness and heart to her character.

Emma is a very strong film, one that snuck up on me as to how much I liked it. By the end of the film, I was smiling and felt surprised by how entertaining it ended up being. I got caught up in these characters and their hopes, dreams, and fears- exactly as Austen intended. The film won 1 Academy Award, for Best Music, Original Musical or Comedy Score. It was nominated for another, Best Costume Design. This is an enjoyable, fun movie and I had a really good time watching it.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Pride & Prejudice, Shakespeare in Love