Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I've seen three adaptations of Emma, the 1996 version with Gwyneth Paltrow, the 1997 TV adaptation with Kate Beckinsale and finally this one, starring Romola Garai and Jonny Lee Miller. This one is in my opinion the absolute best by far, especially if you read and enjoyed the book, but it isn't your favorite Austen novel. By that I mean that this adaptation manages to stay mostly faithful to the events and characters of the novel, while making some welcome "improvements" that are very much in keeping with the spirit of the book. The leisurely pace of this film (actually a four part miniseries) allows for more exploration of the real motivations of the characters. At the risk of being horsewhipped by some Austen lovers this may even improve on the book. For example, Mr. Woodhouse's (wonderfully portrayed here by Michael Gambon) well known valetudinarianism retains its light humor as in the book, but gains a touch of pathos by the film gently reminding us that his wife's death was sudden and traumatic and that his light tyranny about illness and diet and travel comes from love rather than self occupation. Miss Bates (played by Tamsin Grieg) also enjoys this treatment, showing us not just the silly chatterbox spinster, but also the very real sadness and loneliness of the "gentlewoman of reduced circumstances" we so often contend with in period pieces. Even our understanding of Frank Churchill's (Rupert Evans) careless bad-boy-with-a-good-heart antics are broadened by the subtle suggestion that he might be just a little angry that he was sent away by his father all those years ago. Romola Garai is completely charming as the slightly spoiled and conceited Emma, but she adds a touch of naïveté and impetuousness to the character to keep her relatable and endearing. Contrast this with Paltrow's portrayal of the character as a sophisticated, politic, social adept in the 1996 adaptation and it's easy to see why Garai's version of the character is so much more lovable. She's so much more human. Similarly, Emma is rendered much more sympathetic by this version's suggestion that her life, while seemingly charmed, has shortcomings and that her misguided matchmaking is not just about her vanity but also an attempt to deflect her own attention from the isolation and boredom she feels as a motherless girl taking care of an elderly father. Plus the added but somewhat shallow bonus of Garai being absolutely lovely to look at doesn't hurt. Jonny Lee Miller is a revelation as Mr. George Knightley, family friend, neighbor, and the brother of Emma's brother in law. Miller injects tremendous humor and personality into a character that can prove somewhat of a conundrum for modern readers/viewers. Knightley is reinvented from the rather tame, somewhat prematurely middle aged gentleman of the novel into an intelligent, slightly unconventional, independent thinker, making for a much more interesting and engaging character. He plays Knightley as rather in love (though perhaps subconsciously) with Emma from the start, which makes his scolding of her seem less creepily paternalistic and more lovingly done in the service of someone he deeply cares about. And while Miller is just the right age for the part, his portrayal of Knightley with quite a bit of youthful vitality and physicality makes Emma's attraction to a man 16 years older than her much more plausible, and dare I say, much less disturbing. (In fact he was 37 when the production was filmed, the exact same age as the character in the novel, which is why I don't understand the contention by some that he was too young for the part.) Miller excels at the humorous side of Mr. Knightley, indeed, even in scenes where he doesn't have many lines, his facial expressions are enough to make you laugh out loud. Watch him closely during the first dinner party scene where Mr. Elton arrives late, and the scene where Miss Bates comes to Hartfield to deliver the news that Mr. Elton is getting married, to see what I mean. Overall this incarnation of Mr. Knightley is the best yet, in my opinion. Infinitely preferable to the reserved and almost cold Mr. Knightley played by Mark Strong in the 1997 adaptation, and even a bit better than the very capable and attractive Jeremy Northam in the 1996 adaptation. There's great chemistry between Miller and Garai, and their verbal sparring is exhilarating. On the one hand it's comical because they both so clearly feel that they are the expert on everything, and also a bit sexy by way of the aforementioned chemistry and because this was surely what made for flirtation between clever people in the Regency period. Every zinger they throw at each other is foreplay. The cast is rounded out admirably by Jodhi May as a surprisingly young Miss Taylor/Mrs. Weston, Robert Bathurst as the amiable Mr. Weston, Louise Dylan as the hapless Harriet Smith, Blake Ritson as the handsome but pompous Mr. Elton, Poppy Miller as Isabella Knightley (formerly Woodhouse), Dan Fredenburgh as Mr. John Knightley, Laura Pyper as the talented but sad Jane Fairfax, and Christina Cole as the obnoxiously haughty Mrs. Elton. In particular, Dan Fredenburgh as John Knightley was quite enjoyable even though he has very few scenes. He plays Mr. Knightley's slightly less agreeable brother to great comic effect, and yet gives the suggestion by his mannerisms and sense of humor that he and Miller's Mr. Knightley really are related. You actually feel that these are two characters who might have grown up in the same household. Whether this was by design or purely a happy accident is unclear, but it's enjoyable nonetheless. Overall, a very fine adaptation, not to be missed among devotees of Austen or lovers of period dramas.