Handsome. Clever. Rich.

What is it about Emma Woodhouse that has everyone captivated? As the most adapted Jane Austen, she not only stands out from the other heroines for being the most unlikeable, but she is also the only protagonist to boast her own fortune and be from the ‘wealthier’ set. Of all the images of Emma we’ve seen, whether it is a modern day adaption set in Beverly Hills, multiple TV series in the Regency period, a web series where she is a life coach or even in present day Dehli, Emma is always the same captivating, cunning, interfering, somewhat elitist centre of the universe of whatever world she finds herself in.

Previously published at Vulturehound HERE.

Jane Austen adaptations seem to come around every few years or at least it feels like they do. Rarely with a new twist or new interpretation, they are usually set in the era they were written and with the announcement that, yes, another adaptation of ‘Emma’, Austen’s most adapted novel and heroin seen on the big, small and Youtube screen, is being made, you might stop and ask, do we really need another? However, with the release of the trailer a different attitude was taken. There is a quick smart wit shared between characters as well as the feeling that they are ‘in’ on the joke about what is happening, something missing from previous adaptations. In other words, this was not quite what was expected.

Emma; clever, handsome, rich is a self-proclaimed matchmaker after successfully bringing together her former governess and widowed family friend. She sets her sights on the naïve Charlotte who welcomes this new friendship and unaware of Emma’s matchmaking plans. This is all observed by Mr Knightly, Emma’s close friend and sometime confident, who warns her actions are not in Charlotte’s interest but her own. So goes another romantic comedy drama from the master storyteller, Jane Austen.

What sets ‘Emma’ apart from Austen’s other novels is the character Emma herself. Unlike all the other heroines who are impoverished or not wealthy but still part of the gentry, Emma is wealthy. While she does offer charity and want to help where she can, she is also somewhat unlikeable. Being vain, she looks down on people who don’t meet her standards, makes fun of those who are less fortunate and can be quite tactless. It is only through her friendship with Charlotte and thought of losing Mr Knightly does she start to see the error of her ways.

The approach to this fresh-faced adaption from director Autumn De Wilde is that everyone in the film is fully aware of the caricatures they are portraying. This makes all the amusing scenes and jokes ‘land’ instead of being hidden amongst heavy dialogue. Another aspect of the film which was welcome was the chemistry Emma and Charlotte, their friendship feels realistic and genuine, thanks very much to Anya Taylor-Joy and Mia Goth. Equally you actually feel the 'heat' between Emma and Knightly (Youtube series ‘Emma Approved’ also gets this chemistry, but its modern day so its slightly different circumstances) but you also feel the connection between Harriet and Farmer Roberts which is a new and again welcome exploration (again except in ‘Emma Approved’).

On the surface this may ‘look’ like any other Jane Austen, costume drama but there is a wit and open awareness that is unlike other versions that came before it. It’s a shame that the film wasn’t given a fighting chance at the box office, hopefully it will find an audience on home entertainment release and appreciated beyond the usual expectations of its genre.