As adapted from the beloved Jane Austen novel by screenwriter Eleanor Catton and director Autumn de Wilde, Emma. is a cheerful confection—brightly colored, briskly consumed—and as such a worthy representation of one of the great literary characters. A witty young matchmaker in 1800s England who’s an unfortunately poor judge of the human heart (including her own), Emma Woodhouse floats through her country village—defined by bucolic pastures and pretty pastel interiors—like a fairy godsister, casting spells on the eligible men and women around her—spells that don’t quite stick. The key to the character is a delicate balance between intelligence and obliviousness, which is exactly what Anya Taylor-Joy (The Witch, The Queen’s Gambit) brings to the part. Equally delightful is Mia Goth (Suspiria) as an enthusiastically dim neighbor unfortunate enough to receive Emma’s romantic advice and Josh O’Connor (Prince Charles in Netflix’s The Crown) as the village’s preening vicar. (Johnny Flynn, as Mr. Knightley, isn’t bad either, if a bit too immediately dreamboaty.) Under de Wilde’s direction, the plot of mistaken motivations and affections moves by at a quick, comedic pace, which is a nice counterpoint to the way Emma’s self-awareness slowly, blessedly sinks in.
