Sunday, April 21, 2013

Movie Review: Emma

Title: Emma
Author: Miramax (staring Gwyneth Paltrow)
Genre: Romance
My Rating: ****
Official Rating: PG
Age Group: 12+
Summary:
Enter the world of high English society, when there was little to do and the trivial matters thus became exceedingly interesting. Parties are, it seems, everything. Then add a cast of characters. Emma, a girl who likes to make couples, Mr. Knightly, her friend since childhood, and a woman whose birth is unknown and has fallen into Emma's hands. Emma decides Ms. Smith needs a husband, and Emma is going to find her one. But along the way, various other couples are made that Emma did not plan for. As Emma's plans fall down on her head, she stumbles about blindly wondering where to turn.

Word of Warning
The characters are concerned with everything trivial.
Emma constantly gets involved in others' affairs and tries to manipulate things. She insults one woman (but is very sorry and tries to make amends) and is very opinionated about other people. Still, she is aware she has this fault and tries hard to stop it. She does make progress, but I believe this will be her struggle for life.
People are looked down upon because of their place in society.
One man leads Emma to believe he loves her in order to cover up his engagement to another woman.
Emma and some of the other ladies were dresses with low necklines.
There are four kisses, but they are chaste and don't even take place until the end of the movie.

My Thoughts
This is one of those movies that leaves you laughing, cringing, and then, at the end, sighing and staring at the screen because you simply can't think of anything better to do. It's stunning. The dress, the countryside, and the buildings are beautiful. The acting is wonderfully done and we do feel drawn into this society where people clearly have little to do and are seeking entertainment, but never in immoral ways.
For much of the movie I disliked the character of Emma. But, as it progressed, I was impressed to see her struggling to mend her ways. Honestly, the only character who kept me watching until she did so was Mr. Knightly, a true gentleman. And, of course, all the comic relief characters.
It's a charming movie, very different from the usual ones I watch. There's no drama, no excitement, no high speed anything, and happily nothing scandalous. It's just a very good rendition of the reality in which characters of this society lived.
Wonderfully portrayed.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Now you have to read the book. >:) I WILL get you addicted to Jane Austen.

Anonymous said...

Oh my goodness... I just watched the version of Emma that came out in 2009 (the one with Jonny Lee Miller)... It. Was. Amazing.
I have nothing more to say.

Maria Gianna said...

Stacy,
I will have to check out the 2009 version.
Also, I'm not sure you could get me addicted to Jane Austen. See, as much as I enjoyed this movie, I'm not a big fan of reading books about people in high society who do very little. I tend to enjoy more action and adventure in my readings/movies.
I'm willing to let you try to get me hooked, even so :)

Anonymous said...

You must. It is imperative.

Yeah, I know. But I strongly believe that everyone should read at least one Jane Austen novel before they die. I suggest you start with Pride and Predjudice (because the characters are all so stupid until the end and it's funny to watch them blunder around).

Maria Gianna said...

Stacy,
Alright, but give me the summer to get to it. Then I'll see if I can handle reading something like that. It's not that the book(s) is weak, it's entirely my own challenge with reading fiction of that sort, but after spending a few weeks reading Waugh, I think I'm getting better at it.