Emma

Jane Austen would be Proud!!!

I always have to give praise and admiration to film and production crews who take the time to adapt and film a classic novel the way it was meant to be told! I cannot count how many times I have been frustrated to see film-makers try to cram classic novels into movies lasting under two hours! I don't think it is possible to do such a thing while still staying true to the novel. That is why I LOVE this version so much. I read the novel just before watching the movie and I could actually hear the words from the page coming out the actors' mouths. Incredible! It's so refreshing to see such a thoughtful representation of a classic novel come to life with such endearing performances from the actors themselves. Romola Garai, Jonny Lee Miller and Michael Gambon were exceptional in their respectable roles! The scenery, homes, costumes and music also played a wonderful part in making this adaptation one of the best I have seen! Along with the 1995 version of Pride & Prejudice it is an absolute must for Austen enthusiasts to watch! If you've ever wanted to see one of Jane Austen's most beloved novels come to life on the screen then you must watch this version!!!!!!!!!

4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

Emma - as Jane Austen imagined her

This film is a beautiful re-creation of Emma Woodhouse and her life and surroundings as Jane Austen imagined her.

The casting is wonderful. Emma is beautiful, vivacious, and bigger than life - yet delicate and tender. Mr. Knightly is perfectly cast. He is older than Emma, yet not grandfatherly. There exists just the right amount of maturity and youth in him. Mrs. Weston obviously loves Emma as a daughter and Harriet Smith is adorably clueless. Miss Bates and Jane Fairfax truly looked related.

The homes used in filming are perfectly suited for each character. It is obvious that the director and team took great pains on location. And the lighting is amazing. There is one scene when Emma gets up early, having not slept the night before feeling dreadful about hurting Miss Bates, where the first morning light is streaming into her room and framing her face. It is spectacular!

But, I have to say, the BEST part of the film are the costumes! Be sure to watch the "extra" on how the clothes were selected and created.

Overall, the best production of Emma I have seen.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Delightful. Highly recommended. The best version of Emma

I enjoyed this movie a lot. Great casting. True to the book. Funny, witty, good pace, well done.
After watching this version of Emma, I find the Hollywood produced Gwyneth Paltrow version boring, cartoonish and very forgettable.
The actors Romola Garai and Jonny Lee Miller did a fantastic job with their characters.
The movie is a little bit long but highly enjoyable. I have watched it several times and still enjoy it.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Emma At Her Best

Although I have always enjoyed both Gwyneth Paltrow and Kate Beckinsale's film versions of this classic Jane Austen novel, I have to say that I absolutely love Romola Garai as Emma. Romola is a perfect fit for the role and she blew me away from the very first scene! Johnny Lee Miller and Michael Gambon are amazing as Mr Knightly and Mr. Woodhouse, respectively. Overall, Emma (2010) is one of the best film adapations of a Jane Austen novel to date! Buy it!

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

An excelent version

This is a very good version of the book reproduced to film. It is long enough to portray most of the book, but short enough to watch in an evening. After watching it on TV, we immediately purchased it and saw it again.
Anyone unfamiliar with the story should know that it is a clean story that can be viewed by all. Some will notice the surface entertainment, others will see a character study. Watch as characters develop, change, realize things about themselves and others.
An amusing story, in beautiful country side. The decorating of the rooms is particularly interesting. Very different from past versions of Jane Austen reproductions.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Love everything about this version. 

Love everything about this version. 

One of my favorite movies EVER.

I'm not one for historical movies (I like sci-fi and fantasy) but this was an exception. It had comic relief, romance, and annoying people that we love to hate. The characters are realistic and relatable, and the situations are understandable even today. It was awesome and I would recommend it to anybody.

Best adaptation I've seen

Out of all the Jane Austen heroines, Emma has always been the one I have never really taken to (on paper or on the screen). However, this version made me love Emma... Romola Garai's interpretation is wonderful and the cinematography and overall design of the production is utterly beautiful. I have seen earlier BBC adaptations and the Hollywood version of the mid 90s and this one just blows them out of the water.

Highbury's Matchmaker

I loved this movie so much because it was very true to the book as most as the BBC versions of Jane Austen's books are. I felt as if I was watching the book play out before me in my own living room. The actors played their parts splendidly, and I never wondered if someone else might have played them better. The DVD offers special features that take you behind the scenes of the costumes, locations and much more for EMMA.

Surpisingly Good

When I saw this version of Emma on PBS I did not expect much because Emma is my least favorite Austen work. I was pleasently surprised. I found that the film stays true to the book while giving Emma a more likeable persona. The chemistry between all of the actors is amazing, and the costumes and sets are beautiful. I strongly recommend this version of Emma. It is the best I have seen.

Although the 1996 version is good, so is this one.

I'm pretty sure everyone knows the character of Emma Woodhouse and how she helps her friend Harriet Smith that leads to quite a misunderstanding. Romola Garai did a pretty good job as the title character, especially Jonny Lee Miller as Mr. Knightly. Of course same goes to Gwyneth Paltrow and Jeremy Northam in the 1996 version. Did anyone else find it funny how the actors that played Mr. Knightly and Mr. Elton both played Edmund Betram in different versions of Mansfield Park? Anyway recommend this and the 1996 version. As always read the book then see the films or vice versa.

Jane would be proud of this Emma

I hate to speak for Jane, but I do believe she would have been proud of this adaptation of her wonderful novel about the thoughts, values, intentions, and follies of Emma Woodhouse. Jane has a gift for bringing out the ridiculousness of human beings in her characters and this DVD set amplified this to a perfect level. The directors took some liberties with certain aspects of the novel, but none which did not add to or expand upon the key flaws and endearments of these great characters. You will love Romola Garai as the ironically naive matchmaker Emma and Jonny Lee Miller does a great job as Mr. Knightly, loving friend, neighbor, and Emma's biggest critic - ever putting Emma in her place. Watch it...love it...give it to your dear sister to watch so you can dish about it later!

Two letters that describe perfection-M.A.- Emma

This a wonderful adaptation to Jane Austin's Emma. The production quality is first rate and the casting is spot on. I first saw this version on Masterpiece Theater and purchased it on the day of it's release. Jonny Lee Miller is Mr. Knightly. Move over Gwyneth Paltrow, there is a new Emma in Romola Garai. For anyone who loves Jane Austin this is the DVD for you. It's sectioned into four hour long episodes that are perfect for lonely nights.

The best Emma yet!

The best Emma every made. You will love it!

Emma with Romola Garai

This is a wonderful version of Emma - much more indepth about the beginning of Emma's life and her friends. The details in the costume and houses are perfect. Romola Garai is an absolutely wonderful Emma. The age difference between Garai and Jonny Lee Miller is just right and believable. One of the last scenes when she is hiding behind the scrubbery is very well done. Michael Gambon is also totally believable as her elderly, fearful father. All the acting is superb! I never thought a version could be as good as the Paltrow/Northum film but this one is. The narration in the beginning reels you in and you see other details about the story you never realized.

A MUST for Jane Austen lovers!

This 2 disc set is really the best adaptation of any Jane Austen novel that I've ever watched. The actor portrayals were true to the spirit of the book, with just enough influence of the present to keep the material fresh. Romola Garai was a fantastic "Emma," and well-matched with her "Mr. Knightly" in Jonny Lee Miller.

Enchanting

This new version of the Jane Austen classic was produced by BBC, and therefore is far more accurate to the original text. The cast is superb. Every character jumps of the screen as real as life. The scenery beautiful, the screenplay well paced, the acting exceptional, all make this a modern classic beloved by any fan of Jane or Emma.

Love this series

This series takes you back to a lovely time in history. I can watch it over and over. It is very well done.

A great rendition

I loved this rendition of Emma. Romola Garai is the first Emma I've seen who epitomizes the small-town unsophisticated aspects of Emma. She's a completely believable Emma, and the other characters are all similarly realistic. If you love Emma for Emma, and not for a flashy actress, this is the one for you. It's also delightfully romantic - the interplay between Emma and Knightly is splendid.

Best "Emma" yet

After seeing all the other "Emma" film interpretations, this one is my favorite by far. It is true to the novel, beautifully shot and directed, and the casting is excellent-- Romola Garai especially gives a glowing, vivacious performance as Emma, and Michael Gambon (Mr. Woodhouse) is delightful, as usual. The one exception is Jonny Lee Miller as Mr. Knightly: although I have no qualms with his performance, I simply had a hard time reconciling him visually to the role, based on the novel's description of the character. However, this in no way spoiled the film for me, and indeed, it is one of my new favorites and one I will watch repeatedly. Overall, an exquisite, tasteful, quality film that I would highly recommend.