Jane Austen is one of my favourite authors, so I always enjoy movie adaptations of her novels. Autumn de Wilde's take on this literary classic is certainly very visually appealing and captures the elegance of the era with a modern lens.

The film has a lovely charm and is very stylised, but if you're not interested in comedy/ romance/ drama I could see you getting bored. I personally enjoyed it. It is a more quirky take on Austen's novel but I think that’s where it sets itself apart from every other Austen adaptation.

Emma the film doesn’t stray too far from Emma the novel’s original plot. So if you’ve read it you know what happens. Set in the 1800s, the film follows the handsome, clever and rich Emma Woodhouse, who is known for her meddling in others affairs. Emma is convinced she will never marry but enjoys matching others together. After her governess and friend, Miss Taylor gets married, Emma befriends the quiet Harriet and takes it upon herself to find her a perfect match. It's very much a period drama as most of the characters are genteel and live in opulent manor houses. But, like every Austen novel, it pokes fun at the 19th-century social class system.

Surely one of the shining parts of the film is Bill Nighy playing Mr Woodhouse, Emma’s father. It is undeniable that Bill Nighy is an excellent actor so I didn't expect anything less, but he was particularly fun to watch and suited the eccentric vibe of the film. This film does boast some other excellent names and great performances. I also enjoyed Miranda Hart as the talkative Miss Bates and Tanya Reynolds as the upstart Mrs Elton.

The film is not life-changing, nor does it have a deep message. But it is very entertaining and beautiful to watch. It's a great period film with gorgeous outfits, fun characters and a happy ending.

Austen’s novel is imbued with subtle feminist hints. Each female character is brimming with kindness, intelligence and talent, yet they are almost claustrophobically confined to the sphere of the home, only hoping to achieve great marital matches. In her own ways, Austen satirizes this, and the film does too. It is cheeky and (gently) taunts the ridiculousness of 19^th century social graces with a modern take. One obvious example being Emma’s nosebleed during the romantic climax of the film.

Emma is allowed to be a complex character. One that has zest and her own special power whilst also having arrogant and unlikeable moments. She is human, not the ‘angel of the house’ appearance expected from upper-class women at this time. This is true for the novel and film. She’s not all bad though and has many charming moments that transform her towards the end. Her change is what makes her story so compelling and also highlights a key message about the ignorance wealth can bring.

Outside of the symbolism in Emma’s plot, the costume and set design was particularly spectacular. It wouldn't be right if it was any other way. You can't make a period drama and not have beautiful Regency-era clothing and manor houses. Much of the costuming seemed historically accurate with its high waistline dresses, beautifully textured clothing and ridiculous hats, but I am no expert.

I found that the clothes really helped with the story too by giving insight to the characters. For example, Emma's outfits were extravagant compared to the less wealthy Harriet. However, as they spend more time together, Harriet's clothes imitate the stylish Emma's, although being more simple to reflect her social standing. This shows Emma’s influence over Harriet and their ever growing bond.

The film does a good job conveying Emma and Mr Knightly’s flirtatious rivalry. He teases Emma for being jealous of Jane and she praises Frank to get back at him. I am also glad they kept in my favourite line from the book. As Mr Knightly confesses his love for Emma he says ‘If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more.’ I find that quote so romantic and it was shot so well with the gorgeous countryside in the background. Peak period drama perfection!

As close as de Wilde gets to the novel, I appreciate the changes made to Mr Knightly’s character as I often found him stuffy in the book. He is far too much of a mentor to Emma which added an odd tinge to their romance, only heightened by his 16 year age gap. The movie’s Mr Knightly showed moments of vulnerability that put him on the same level as Emma. He could be just as shallow at times, not the know-all wisdom portrayed in the books. This made his love declaration much more powerful and their relationship what it needed to be — equal.

Overall, this is the kind of period drama I want to see. Let’s make them weird, more feminist and fun.