MORAL OF THE MOVIE

Life and love are yours to live in your own way. You’re not meant to be experiencing it vicariously through others. Instead of focusing on everyone else’s lives, it’s often best to focus on your own.

WHO I THINK WOULD MOST ENJOY THIS MOVIE

This is the type of movie to watch with your mom on Mother’s Day. If you really liked period piece feel-good romantic movies like Little Women (2020) and would like a picturesque version (like Wes Anderson’s movies) of that, then this is the movie for you! Also, you’ll especially like this if you’re a fan of the way people spoke in pish posh fancy Victorian-era Britain.

ADDITIONAL NOTES/COMMENTARY

Emma (2020) is the rare movie that will have you smiling through its entirety. It’s the type of movie that leaves you feeling butterflies in your stomach. The characters and acting are as charismatic as can be. Every year there is an actor that catches their big break with a series of big movies lined up. In 2019, it was Florence Pugh with Fighting With My Family (2019), Midsommar (2019), and Little Women (2019). In 2020, it was Anya Taylor-Joy who serves as the main protagonist in Emma (2020) and the hit Netflix limited series The Queen’s Gambit (2020) in addition to The New Mutants (2020). She also happens to be starring in one of my favorite director’s (Edgar Wright) next film, which hopefully comes out later this year. In this role, Anya Taylor-Joy adds an element of cleverness and a good hearted nature that has all of us rooting for her despite her obvious flaws. I can’t wait to see how her career develops and recommend keeping an eye out for any future projects starting Anya Taylor-Joy. Another breakout from this film is the director herself, Autumn de Wilde, who managed to make a movie as charmingly endearing as its cast. The cinematography seems like something out of a Wes Anderson movie but with its own flair, which sets de Wilde apart from most directors out there. The colors of this movie are like that of a pastel wonderland, which just give you a deep sense of ease as you watch in bliss. The story is supremely well told and, while it is a bit slow or confusing at first, everything falls nicely into place by the second act. The rest is nothing but smooth sailing from then on. There’s nothing else I can say other than the fact that I had an incredibly good time watching this film and if you are a fan of flowery romantic period pieces, then you will too.