Emma movie

I was planning to see it today but the friend I was going with has cried off as she's poorly. I am always wary of seeing films of books I know and love, so it won't break my heart if I don't see it. I've read it many times so I know how I see the characters!

I saw this last night with some family members. There were mixed reactions, some loved it, some didn’t and said it was too comedic, OK for Dickens but not for Austen. I enjoyed aspects of it but apart from Miranda Hart there was some bad casting. Mr Knightley was too young, I liked the version where he was played by David Morrissey. I do like the actor who played Frank Churchill, he was great in War And Peace and The Capture and he does command the screen but I agree he probably wasn’t good looking enough but I loved the scene where he was dancing with Emma while they were discussing holding a ball. The scene at the picnic where Emma was scathing to Miranda Hart was brilliantly done by Miranda, the best scene in the film for me. I didn’t warm to Emma at all, not even at the end, I don’t know if it was the casting or the performance. The costumes were breathtakingly beautiful as were the settings. I would give it 7 out of 10.

Several people have mentioned poor sound quality and muffled speech. Many cinemas now show a subtitled performance which I find very helpful.
Most dramas on TV now play music constantly even when the actors are speaking and it drives me mad! Rant over...

I love Bill- He can always be counted on to be himself- No matter what character he plays!

I love Jane Austen, and looking forward to seeing the film.

Anything with Miranda Hart in it is guaranteed to be enjoyable. A great actress.

I found Emma a delightful film and very funny. A joy for the eyes, and I had no issues with the sound. It’s an advantage to know the novel so the various relationships are understood.

I agree with grumppa about Knightley's brother. Lost opportunity.

To my mind, Mr Woodhouse was not enough of an invalid, Frank Churchill was not good-looking enough and Knightley was too fair.

Miranda was great; Jane Fairfax not delicate enough.

I thought the scene between Emma and Knightley at the end was dull. The Box Hill scene was well done.

A good laugh all in all and there was less wafting about than other versions I've seen.

I think Jane would have approved.

I can't decide whether I want to see this film or not as I love the BBC version with Jonny Lee Miller. Miranda Hart seems a good choice as Miss Bates though.

I agree that the sound was fine ( and am a bit of a deaf lugs)
So wonder if it was the cinema, rather than the film?

Me too Grandma... went with friends today and we all enjoyed it.It was directed with a light touch, good acting all round and was a visual treat, houses, countryside ,tables groaning with food, candles and flowers, beautiful dresses and impeccably tailored men.?
The music, (English folk) was excellent too, and I agree that Miranda Hart was really good as Miss Bates.

I always felt that Emma deserved better than Mr Knightly. He tried to squash her personality before they were even married. It could only get worse.....

Oh and by the way I was a bit worried about some comments on indistinct dialogue as I really struggled with David Copperfield in our new cinema last week. I had no problems with Emma.

Went to see Emma today and I loved it. It just felt 'right'. I don't normally like Bill Nighy or Miranda Hart but they did a great job. I think Jane Austen would have liked the modern treatment of it. I laughed from the beginning at the warning about 'natural nudity'! It made me wonder what unnatural nudity was.

Just on the sound quality, since it wasn't just our party in our cinema with a problem, it must be the muffled quality of the sound in the film. 'Emma' hasn't been the only recent film or TV drama with this issue. By contrast, my wife and I happened upon 'From Russia With Love' on one of the ITV channels last night and the sound was crystal clear. Despite its ancient origin [1963], the film was very good, surprisingly so after so many years.

Some problems with the sound, but enjoyed it a lot. Well worth going to see.

One disappointment was that more could have been made of the married Mr. Knightley, the younger brother genuinely concerned about money, pointing out the cost of taking his family on holiday in Cromer rather than Southend.

And a Pedant's Corner irritation: when Frank Churchill and Jane Fairfax sing "Drink to me only with thine eyes" they misquote the third line. It's "Or leave a kiss BUT in the cup", not "Or leave a kiss WITHIN the cup". There is a difference, and Ben Jonson knew what he was writing. Kathleen Ferrier got it wrong too, but that is no excuse.

I and my friends also find the sound and speech at the cinema very muffled. Is it our ancient ears and hearing or the sound not being clear ? Most films are the same, it takes me a while to get tuned in.

Will go and see it next week with friends (DH declined to see it, putting Austen in her place with the words ‘it’s a womens’ film’.)?
Hope I will be able to hear the dialogue over the popcorn munching and sweetie wrapper rustling that goes on unabated these days.

Bill Nighy never does much - his not an actor as his face never changes. Money for jam imho.

Interesting you say that Cunco. I saw Emma this afternoon and the dialogue was indistinct. The cinema has been newly renovated (v comfy seats!) and I thought the poor sound might have been because they hadn’t yet got the speakers properly adjusted.

I did enjoy it, though, very pretty! Though Bill Nighy didn’t have to do much to earn his fee.

I thought it excellent.

Sorry to say, I didn't enjoy Emma very much. I (and others with me) found the words curiously indistinct and since there is very little action, the words are important even if you have read the book and know the story. It is visually very attractive but since I was looking forward to the film, I felt it was disappointing.

Will be going end of this week glad you said it was good.

Going tomorrow with DIL. Depending on flooding?

I’m going on Weds with my best friend!