Emma. movie review

~ Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever and rich, had lived nearly twenty-one years in the world with very little to distress or vex her ~

 

Filmtitle: Emma.

Realease Date in UK: February 14, 2020 

Based on: Emma by Jane Austen

Trailer: Emma.

Just for you to be on the same page as me:

My boyfriend and me had our 23. monthly anniversary yesterday and we wanted to celebrate by spending a nice day together. So first we went bouldering in a big hall, something my boyfriend really wanted to try, which by the way was great fun - can only recommend it - and then we went to the cinema to watch Emma., something I was totally exicted for. You see, I'm such a big Jane Austen fan and Emma is my absolute favorite book (though all her novels are great) and also the trailer looked quite promising. So we took our seats, ready to be entertained.

*Spoiler alert*

Review 

The movie opened quite promising with Emma collecting a bouqet for Miss Taylor (Gemma Whelan) on her wedding day.  Anya Taylor-Joy seemed well fitted for the role as Emma, able to play the slightly arrogant but also loving girl she is described in the books, fond of her former governance.

But from then on, it only got worse.

Some of the characteres were mere carricatures of the personalities described in the book.

Mr. Elton (Josh O'Connor) was not in the least bit the good-mannered, friendly man initially described in the novel. In the movie he appered as a total creep, who would scare off every girl with a little wit instantly and it is hard to comprehend, why Emma would want somebody so dear to her as Harriet marry somebody as unpleasant as him.

Also Mr. Woodhouse (Bill Nighy) did not rise up to the aimable but a little eccentric character he should have represented. The movie exaggerated his anxious manner in a ridiculous way and did not do justice to his aimable and gentle side.

Furthermore poor Harriet (Mia Goth) was even more ridiculed and appeared as a childish and foolish creature totally in contrast to the character described in Jane Austen's work, where Harriet was admittedly presented as a simple girl, but also as naturally graceful, artless and much more esteemable than in the movie.

Aside from some disappointing character representations, the plot did not live up to my hopes. I know how difficult it is to translate a book, where you are able to describe every thought and feeling, into a mere visual experience, but in my opinion more was lost than necessary.

For one the movie plot was very confusing for somebody, who did not know the books like my boyfriend, because of course a lot had to be omitted for the movie to be short enough. But somethings just weren't understandable. For example what the relationship of the Woodhouse family to Mr. Knightley was or why Emma should seek the companionship of Harriet of all people. At some point Harriet was just there. Same goes for Frank Chruchhill (Callum Turner). He suddenly appeared and he dissappeared as quickly as he had come.

What finally finished me off, was a scene after the ball at the Inn. For no apparent reason Mr. Knightley ran through the landscape after Emma's cariage and when Emma saw him, ran to meet him only to be interrupted by a very confusing entry of Frank Churchhill carrying Harriet. This was all so random that it took me some time to recollect the scene in the book, which it should have represented: Mr. Churchhill saving Harriet from the gypsies.

Most importantly, I kept missing the depth of the books and my love for some of the characters seemed ridiculed.

Another thing I liked about the book was the unforseen ending. I would have never guessed, that Emma would marry Mr. Knightley, but even my boyfriend gathered at about half of the movie how it would turn out, which was a little disappointing as well.

To conclude my whole rant (sorry about that, but I was SO dissappointed and want to spare others the same feeling), if you love the novel Emma of Jane Austen, just don't go to see the movie. It's nothing near as good and will only spoil the book!