Emma

Rating:
Summary: Slow
Review: Slow as pouring molasses out of a jar in the dead of a Canadian winter. Don't bother unless you have time on your hands and nothing better to do.

Rating:
Summary: Clever Adaptation
Review: Emma, played by the refreshing Gwenyth Paltrow, is a young woman in high society who tries to use her wits and position to "help" those she cares about. While her intentions are pure, she often ends up being too clever for her own good. While her plans to secure her friends' happiness go awry, she finds she's left her own life considerably lacking.
This adaptation captures the essence of Jane Austen's brilliant social comedy. It shows the intricacies of relationships (played by exceptional actors), the humor of human foibles and undue formality, and the dangers of good intentions.
As with all Jane Austen works, the ending (while wonderful) is not as important as the path the story takes in getting there. The creativity of the cast and director, along with the brilliancy of the work itself, makes this version of "Emma" a must-see.

Rating:
Summary: Not quite the book, but delicious movie!
Review: Emma is a wonderful romantic comedy. The flavor is a tad different that one would get by reading the Austen book, and of course the content of the book is condensed for the movie, but overall it is still true to the book. The characters are the same extreme, memorable and lovable characters that Austen wrote into the book. The story is about Emma, an only daughter of a fairly rich nobleman, who decides to do good deeds by interfering in others lives (thinking that she knows best), and ends up making a mess of things... while on the way realizing that she is in love, herself. Nothing objectionable.

Rating:
Summary: Delightful!
Review: I thouroughly enjoyed this film. This movie had so much humor and although I will admit that the first time I saw *Emma* I failed to find much humorous. A movie for people who find intelectual humor more to their enjoiment and not slapstick.

Rating:
Summary: A great version of Emma
Review: I highly recommend this version of Emma it's great. Gwyneth
Paltrow is ecellent in is as Emma. It is colorful, the costumes are absolutley beautiful, and so is the scenery. it's a must see for all Jane Austen fans or fans of the regency era in general.

Rating:
Summary: Any movie with Ewan MacGregor singing can't be all bad...
Review: Perhaps I would have liked this adaptation if I hadn't seen the BBC's version first. Or if I hadn't read the book. However I regret to report that Miramax's "Emma" was painful to watch. I felt like they were trying too hard. Perhaps the screenwriters were desperatley hoping to rake in the "Clueless" audience. As an avid admirer of all things Austen I was throughly disappointed. The story was so chopped up, not simply abridged, but chopped, that I didn't feel the closeness of the relationships that I got from the other version and the book. It was sadly 2 dimensional and forced. But, any movie with Ewan MacGragor singing can't be all bad.

Rating:
Summary: It depends on what you are looking for...
Review: I think people are giving this movie a bad rap. It is a very enjoyable movie...if what you are looking for is pure entertainment. It succeeds in accomplishing it's purpose, to merely provide an audience with a couple hours of mixed feelings. And the Hollywood version does a great job of that. I thought Paltrow did a great job with the character she was asked to portray...granted, it wasn't the Emma of Jane Austens novel, but that was not because of a lack of acting ability. I think it was simply that the writers for the movie weren't too particularly concerned with keeping the movie faithful to the novel. (Come on, people. We all know that the only thing novels and Hollywood adaptations are going to have in common are the names of the hero's and heroines.) But that doesn't make it a bad movie. Just enjoy it for what it is. Just don't watch it expecting to see anything that is really at all close to the book.

Basically, if you are looking for a movie with a little more meat, go with the A&E version. All the characters, particularly Emma, are much better developed and 3 dimensional in the A&E version. If you are looking for a movie that relates closely to what the author was trying to say, a movie that makes a statement about something, rather than providing mere entertainment, definely, go with the A&E version. Otherwise, watch Paltrows Emma and enjoy it because is an excellent entertainment movie.

Rating:
Summary: It's a cute movie...BUT
Review: I haven't seen other versions of this Austen book, so I can't compare...but I found Paltrow's EMMA an enjoyable way to lose two hours on a Sunday afternoon. The scenery was nice, the acting adequate, and the costuming great.

Rating:
Summary: Rather too cute
Review: Too much a vehicle for Paltrow, and too little a vehicle for Austen. The Beckinsale A&E version is much better, and I'm not sure that the BBC version was not the best - I cannot decide. But this one is superficial and unsatisfying. Too vague a Jane Fairfax, while Frank Churchill is sometimes too flashy and sometimes too dull and lumpish, while the relationship between these two is undeveloped. Miss Taylor is too young and foolish, and Mr. Knightley looks still wet behind the ears - no match for his Emma. Emma is too pretty and Harriet not pretty enough, the hypochondriac father, so richly and amusingly portrayed in both the other versions, is just thrown away here, while the Harriet Smith character is rather wooden and the Harriet-Emma relationship lacks most of the humor Austen wickedly portrayed in it - which the other two versions bring out very well. I will say, I do like the portrayal here of one of Austen's prize jerks - the ineffable Mrs. Elton.

Rating:
Summary: My All-Time Favorite Movie
Review: I read in previous reviews that people were unhappy about Emma's historical inaccuracies, and disloyalty to the book by Jane Austen. Honestly, I have never read the book, and I know absolutely nothing about the clothing or social mannerisms from that period of time. However, I -do- know that Emma is a wonderful movie. Despite the fact that it may not be true to the book, and is historically inaccurate, it does very well as a romantic comedy. Gwyneth Paltrow is great as Emma, and I love her confused and indignant expressions throughout the film. Mr. Knightley is definitely my favorite character, and is the perfect gentleman. Every other character fits seamlessly into the mix, and Ewan McGregor as Frank Churchill is a yummy and surprising treat. Each and every scene is thoroughly enjoyable.

For nights when you're home alone, and stuck with only your dog and your DVDs, pop in Emma! It'll cheer you up, make you smile, and leave you with a happy feeling inside for a long time afterwards. Who cares how historically correct it is? It's just a really awesome movie!