Following the antics of a young woman, Emma Woodhouse, who lives in Georgian- and Regency-era England and occupies herself with matchmaking - in sometimes misguided, often meddlesome fashion- in the lives of her friends and family.
In all honesty, I can find a lot of period pieces intimidating. Not being a huge fan of the old language in classic literature, the time spent translating the dialogue into modern language is often as much of a barrier for me, as subtitles are for those with lower literacy levels. Period pieces with older language are often watchable, but lose enjoyment because of the amount of extra effort that needs to be put into the viewing. Some films overcome this by simplifying the language, which helps it gain a greater mainstream appeal, but with Emma. the filmmakers take a different approach.
It was due to this intimidation that I didn't watch Emma. in theatres, where the idea of not understanding the humour while in a public space, can be rather daunting. But here we are, with Emma. now available for purchase on DVD and Bluray, and I can view it in its entirety, in private. I can safely say that I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of this film directed by Autumn de Wilde. Despite this being de Wilde's directorial feature film debut, Emma. is absolutely breathtaking, with stunning visual displays created with a combination of Christopher Blauvelt's cinematography and de Wilde's direction, that showcase her expertise in photography.
Colour and framing are used effectively in a provocative manner to communicate additional traits such as emotion and wealth, whilst the performances are overblown and exaggerated with such finesse that it simultaneously confirms the characters personality traits, allows an air of comedy to seep in, all while maintaining an authentic period atmosphere. The slightly overripe performances not only firmly solidify the traits of each character--allowing the audience to build strong empathetic bonds with them--but it becomes such an ingrained part of each character that it creates greater depth of character, allowing darker motivations to subtly undercut the foundation of the character. In essence, the characterization of our protagonists is so strong that the audience is able to sense when things are becoming strained, long before the dialogue outright tells us so.
To that end, the casting is absolutely superb. Anya Taylor-Joy (who portrays the titular Emma Woodhouse) has amazing, large eyes that portray an incredible amount of emotion without the need for unnecessary dialogue to explain feelings. This is where de Wilde's experience in photography and inexperience in directing feature films becomes an advantage. Where most film adaptations tend to focus on the dialogue (being adapted from the Jane Austen's novel, words are easy to focus on), instead, de Wilde is all about the visual angle, allowing as much information to be given through the location, mannerisms, movements, and lighting of the characters and production sets. It reduces that reliance on the dialogue and makes the film that much more pleasant to watch.
Full of quirky characters, every actor disappears into their role, with only the ever-delightful Bill Nighy standing out as an actor acting a role. Mia Goth has a great performance with unbridled naivety and innocence, contrasting the supposed maturity and all-knowing nature of her best friend, Emma. The story could just as easily have been a drama, but the light-hearted musical compositions by Isobel Waller-Bridge and David Schweitzer, together with the off-centre characters, it superbly twists the story into a romantic comedy that draws the audience in.
It is rare to get a period piece that makes you feel such a strong connection to its characters. Strong enough of a connection that there is a scene that will literally make you gasp (at the very least, a sharp intake of breath) and get that blood boiling. The costuming and production design is top-notch, and the level to which the audience views the little things--such as efficiently dressing up and down with all of the layers, shopping for fabrics, or travelling between nearby houses. The trifling things make the characters feel evermore real.
I was originally intimidated by the idea of this film, but in the end, it was a gorgeous visual feast, with authentic costuming, and a relatable story with engaging characters. An unexpected, but welcome surprise.
Originally posted to: http://djin.nz/Kr8637