Emma: Aesthetic but Adequate

Rating: 6.0/10

Emma is a well-made and wonderfully acted film with lively characters and an interesting story, but nothing special.

Highlights: 

• Great costuming

• Exuberant characters

• Appropriate music

Lowlights: 

• Felt long

• Confusing at times

• A bit predictable

Based on Jane Austen’s book of the same name, Emma follows a girl in Victorian England and her relations with neighbors and friends. I enjoyed the film, as it was funny, well-casted, and filled with personable characters. All of the little details were right, including the costumes, sets, and music, and these aesthetics were made even better by beautiful cinematography. Though it was a bit predictable (to no fault of its own, as it was based on a book), I admired the liveliness the actors brought to their characters. The dilemma of Emma (Anya Taylor-Joy) is that she is overconfident in areas others do not expect her to be (her wit) and told she is kind when she knows she is being selfish. Her character development is one that is interesting to watch, and I appreciated Taylor-Joy’s ability to act with such subtle emotion. I would recommend Emma, but not before many other films of comparable or higher effectivity.

Did you watch the movie? Do you want more? Check out the basis for the movie, Austen’s 1815 novel Emma. Without a doubt the characters will come to more life even more than in the film, and you’ll be in for a story that lasts even longer.

Watch the trailer!