Mihai Toma A young woman who just remained without a governess, starts playing Cupid with her best friend. Foolish and without experience, she hopes to do a good job but the whole act she's been playing will soon turn against her.It's a film which presents the adventures of a girl who thinks she can be a good matchmaker, especially for her closest friend, whose clumsiness and social position prove to be a big obstacle when talking about marriage with better standing suitors. Although it seemed like a good idea, it turned out to be a big disappointment. The characters lack essence and complexity while the plot is very simplistic, linear and thus predictable. We are faced with multiple awkward moments, bad or even stupid decisions made by the characters, the entire set seeming to be much like a soap opera. Although being described as a comedy, it isn't funny at all... you somehow tend to laugh at the stupidity of the characters, rather than the action itself or the intended or unintended puns. The finale did nothing to improve the overall impression, being as expected as it was dull.It's hard to find good aspects regarding this one, which I simply cannot recommend to anyone, from any point of view. Maybe except the scenery and some of the actors' performance.

SimonJack Every so often, one comes across a film in which a performance gives the impression that the role might have been written for the performer, or that the performer was born for the role. Of course, the nearly 200 years between Jane Austen's penning of her novel and actress Gwyneth Paltrow playing the role of Emma in this 1996 movie, makes the former impossible. The latter, too, is impossible, except as we use it in hyperbole. For it does indeed seem to this reviewer that Gwyneth Paltrow was made to play the role of Emma Woodhouse.This 1996 film of Austen's fine novel is a delight, and Paltrow gives it a warm and endearing glow in her humorous quest as cupid. To be sure, this story is a wonderful comedy of manners by Austen about the customs and mores of pastoral England during the Georgian era. The irony here is less biting than in her works where the topics are bared in the titles for all to see, as in "Pride and Prejudice" and "Sense and Sensibility." It also is tempered somewhat here by the good aspects of the landed gentry in their care for the social welfare of those around them. But the vanity of Emma in imagining that she is a gifted matchmaker, with her outward semblance of humility in such matters, is what Austen explores to the hilt in this novel. And, Paltrow plays it to perfection – as I said, even endearingly so. This is just a wonderful story that doesn't grow old. It has been a few decades since I read Austen, but I now enjoy occasionally sitting down to a fine film of one of her stories. Austen does something that many modern writers of fiction seem to ignore, or otherwise fail to do. She explores most of her characters in detail. Not all at once, but bit by bit. And so, we get a good picture of what each one is about. The modern penchant of so many writers is to focus on the main character or two or three, and let the others fall by the wayside. They are out of sight and out of mind by the end of the story. Not so with Austen. In this story, for instance, there are no fewer than a dozen significant characters, most of whom pop in and out as the story goes along. But we never forget them, because they count for something in the story. We remember Miss Bates when she isn't in a scene for some time. Likewise, the vicar, Mr. Elton. Mr. and Mrs. Weston have wonderful pasts and appear here and there in the story. And so on. All of the cast are superb in this rendition of Austen's "Emma," and many are the best portrayals of their respective roles among all the films made of this novel. Besides Gwyneth Paltrow as Emma, the other best performances are Jeremy Northam as Mr. Knightley, Toni Collette as Harriet Smith, Sophie Thompson as Miss Bates, Alan Cumming as Mr. Elton, Polly Walker as Jane Fairfax, and Juliet Stevenson as Mrs. Elton. Aside from the overall wonderful casting and performances, this film, better than any other, captures the beauty of the pastoral setting. No other film comes close to the splendid scenario of the picnic on Box Hill. The film was shot at a dozen locations in England. This is a wonderful movie fit for the whole family, though the restless, the impatient and modernists may not be able or want to sit still for it. Now, something must be said about the various renditions of this fine Austen comedy of manners. Six versions have been made for theater or television release. The two earliest BBC productions apparently are not available anywhere (a 1948 movie of 105 minutes, and a 1960 miniseries of 180 minutes in six episodes). The four available renditions all tell Austen's story with most of the main scenarios of her novel. The miniseries give more time to certain characters as well as extended dialog in some scenarios. The 1972 miniseries, starring Dorin Godwin, is far better than the most recent production, the 2009 miniseries starring Romola Garai. The latter's characters are changed significantly, and the modernistic adaptation belies the culture of Austen's time. At the same time that this 1996 independent film of "Emma" was being made, another was being made for TV by ITV/A&E. It starred Kate Beckinsale. While her performance was very good, her character didn't have the hubris that Austen wrote into her. That 107-minute film was a little dark and more serious, with the humor somewhat muted. That is most evident in scenes with Mark Strong's Mr. Knightley. His character seemed lacking in the warmth and magnanimity that Jeremy Northam captures and displays in this film. Were she alive to rate the various renditions of her work today, Jane Austen may find shortcomings in all of them. But in ranking them for portraying her comedy of manners, she would surely find this two-hour film with Paltrow and Northam to be the best.My subject line title above is taken from the story. Knightly says the line, halfway to himself as he goes off perturbed at Emma's meddling in the romance of others. The film has many humorous scenarios and fine lines of witty dialog, courtesy of Jane Austen. See the Quotes section on this film's IMDb Web page for more fun dialog. Here's one more sample.Emma has given the cook the menu for that night's dinner, and she has been preoccupied with thoughts of Mr. Knightly. The cook, "Oh, is Mr. Knightly coming? Emma, "Why do you say that?" The Cook, "Lamb stew is his favorite."

smatysia I have read some of Austen's work, but not "Emma" so I cannot comment on the faithfulness of the adaptation. I am a bit of a sucker for a nice costume drama, though. I thought that this one was nice. Nice sets and costumes, and scenic locations. Austen's novels were noted for being about not really very much, soap operas of the upper classes, thought not the nobility. This at a time of tremendous upheaval in England, near the culmination of the Napoleonic Wars. A bit of a diversion, I suppose. No one in the film seems to work, so I guess you could call them the idle rich. I liked Gwyneth Paltrow's performance, and was totally charmed by Toni Collette's. Polly Walker looked very nice, in a small and stoic role. I'd say that this is worth watching.

Prismark10 With so many screen versions of Emma knocking about I decided to give the sumptuous light hearted romp starring Gwyneth Paltrow with her cut glass English accent.Emma Woodhouse is a confident woman from a wealthy background who spends her days playing cupid by matchmaking. She is a bright know it all who also likes to engage in gossip. Emma's problems arise when she tries to set up a match between her friend, Harriet Smith (Toni Collette) and the Reverend Elton (Alan Cumming) and fails. Emma tries other matches but they also backfire.Emma realises her limitations when she is admonished by Mr Knightly (Jeremy Northam) who is the voice of reason. Emma is well meaning but like everyone else is firmly rooted to the class system of the day.The film is rather light and airy, nice to look at, well acted but also rather boring. It felt just too superficial.