directed by Autumn de Wilde
I was avoiding this production for some time because I generally need to be in the right mood to watch a costume drama. I have to say that except marvellous costumes and scenography, those films are often copy-paste. So when I found out about this new remake of Jane Austen’s book, I thought “ho, ho, ho, maybe another time”. And the time came. And I liked it very much. And I’m still surprised. Since it’s a popular novel, perhaps some of you already know the story of Emma Woodhouse. However, for those who haven’t read the book, I can tell you a few words about it. So, Emma (Anya Taylor-Joy) is a wealthy lady living in the 19th century. I guess you can imagine what was expected from women back then – they were supposed to behave in a certain way, look neat and the only thing they should be thinking of was getting married as soon as possible. Emma is slightly different. She’s an incredibly classy young lady, but she’s definitely not going to become somebody’s wife anytime soon. Instead, she’s very much interested in the love lives of her friends, so she focuses on their romances. Emma is “living” other people’s lives so much, she doesn’t even notice her own secret admirer… Before writing the novel, Jane Austen said “I am going to take a heroine whom no one but myself will much like”. I’m afraid I also like her, dear Jane. And I guess a lot of other women can say the same. Yes, Emma is selfish and she can seem annoying at first, but, for me, she’s like a 21st century woman who was born two centuries too early. But getting back to the film, I really liked it not only because of the main character, but also because of the form. It’s actually a very modern costume drama with too many jokes to consider it a serious production. And something that always makes my day – marvellous camerawork. So, surprisingly, I had fun watching a film adaptation of a Jane Austen’s book. Who would have thought?
My rating: 7/10
S.
I have nothing to watch 