Scanialara You won't be disappointed!

Humbersi The first must-see film of the year.

AshUnow This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

Juana what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

SimonJack It's interesting that as of April 2017, IMDb fans rate this 2009 BBC TV mini-series an average of 8.2 – the highest of all the "Emma" stories ever made for the silver screen or TV. Yet it's the least of the lot of the films generally available. This late rendition comes nowhere near the 1972 BBC mini-series. And, compared to the best of the "Emma" films (1996, Gwyneth Paltrow), this one is no better than fair. The critics of the day saw the inferiority of the script and the weak casting. Most of the performances just weren't that good. This series has three glaring shortcomings. One is the more serious overtones of the script, which tend to diminish the humor in those scenes when it should be paramount. Another is the modern touch to the culture of 19th century England in the manners of Emma and others. The last is the casting. Romola Garai is fair as Emma, but no better than just fair. And, most of the casting after that misfires. Mr. Knightly is supposed to be 17 years older than Emma, but Jonny Lee Miller looks close to her age. Most of the young characters in this series appear to be very young – barely out of their teens. Michael Gambon is a fine actor, but his Mr. Woodhouse isn't nearly as genuine as is that played by Donald Eccles in the 1972 series. Again, it likely is due to a script rendition that seems to steer to a plot that is both more serious, modern and then silly in its humor. This contention gives the story a feeling of uneasiness. Whereas the earlier series and the 1996 film with Gwyneth Paltrow move along smoothly between the serious notes and the humor, with the humor dominating them, as most scholars, students and fans of Austen think she intended.One suspects that many who saw this late rendition of Austen's wonderful comedy of manners, probably had not seen other productions. Many probably were young and just being introduced to a broadcast or film of Austen's novel. Those who rated it so highly surely would enjoy the other productions. And, after viewing the 1972 TV miniseries and the 1996 Paltrow film, viewers would be able to make fair comparisons. At the very least, I recommend the 1996 movie, which is readily available on DVD. That film is sure to delight anyone who enjoyed this just fair 2009 production. It's the best "Emma" made to date, and one that will be hard to top in the future. This is one that the BBC had best not attempt to outdo – even though it's not a BBC product.

julia2702 Ahh. Where should I begin? BBC is obviously my God :) Nobody can outdo them when it comes to English classics, this (certainly logical) fact has proved itself to me many times. But I did not expect this series would move me so much. Never read the book, but saw the previous adaptations and felt no particular emotion. So my surprise and delight after viewing this is inexpressible.. A gem, an absolute gem.I first saw Romola Garai in Daniel Deronda and thought - wow, there's really something special about this lady. She's both beautiful in a memorable way and extremely talented. Her Emma had a pretty much same effect on me as Lizzy Bennet delivered by Jennifer Ehle - you look at the character and feel as if it's a real person. You just want to get to know her, talk to her.. This twinkle in her eyes, the smile, the facial expressions telling a thousand words, the tone of her voice.. everything seemed perfect and endearing. I definitely join Ms Garai's fanclub!Johnny Lee Miller, thank you for this wonderful Mr Knightley you gave us. Now I have yet another romantic hero to fall in love with, not just Mr Darcy :) The tender and brotherly-protective way in which he treated Emma, while loving her passionately, and also their arguments each of them making Emma grow up a little bit.. The relationship between them is just soo beautiful, and the scene where the couple finally speak of their mutual feelings made me cry endless tears of joy.Apart from the leads, every actor came up with marvellous performance. Funny how I intended to get this movie play in the background, while I was doing housework. I was glued to the screen and couldn't miss even a single tiny bit of "Emma", sitting with a silly happy smile on my face.We get comedy, we get romance, we get brilliant acting and character development, enjoyable scenery and costumes. I give it 10 stars, and would give 11 if I could. For me, this series got everything right. The only drawback, as I can imagine, may be some liberties taken with the original book and proprieties of the era, as well as modernised dialogue - but there still seems to be an amazing harmony about the whole thing. After an adaptation like that, I can't wait to read the book.Previous versions were not bad, especially Paltrow and Northam movie which I enjoyed a lot. But 2009 series is superior by far. A huge respect and bravo!

nechievelasco This is such a fun, refreshing mini-series. Wonderfully cast -- you can see the chemistry between Romola Garai and Jonny Lee Miller. The banter is very enjoyable! I found myself smiling all throughout the series and laughing at the wit of the characters.The first time I watched this, I found myself glued for four hours. I watched it a second time, and had a better appreciation of the story. I was still laughing at the lines and the wit! JLM is perfect as Mr. Knightley, he is funny in the sarcastic moments and yet can make ladies swoon during the moments when he shows such gentlemanly behaviors.I guess the only drawback I had here was that Isabella Knightly looked older than Anne Weston. I think Mrs Weston should have looked older since she was their governess. Also, George Knightly looked younger than John Knightly, but he is obviously the older brother because he was master of Donwell Abbey. Other than that, everything was just right.

kaaber-2 not that there's anything the matter at all with the two 1996 versions of Austen's novel or their two Emmas, Gwyneth Paltrow and Kate Beckinsale, but I think that Romola Garai releases an Emma that's perfect: her obtuseness as far as the hearts of others are concerned is matched perfectly with the special kind of air-headed charm that Garai delivers (so very far from the sensible Cordelia she delivered in Ian McKellen's "King Lear"). Paltrow was beautiful, Beckinsale sweet, but Garai manages an Emma who seems unaffectedly oblivious to her own beauty and sweetness and only strives to do right by others – and fails. This appears to me to be the essence of the character that is the most fallible of Austen's heroines, with the possible exception of Catherine Morland in "Northanger Abbey." But apart from that, the scenes between Garai's Emma and Jonny Lee Miller's Mr. Knightley are electrifying. Especially their argument after Emma has talked Harriet Smith into rejecting Knightley's champion, Robert Martin. Miller's Knightley doesn't just correct Emma with a wish to render her a more blameless person – this Knightley truly enjoys his rows with Emma, without knowing it himself, of course: that clearly comes across.The fact that the Director O'Hanlon has been extremely aware of every opportunity of non-verbal communication where the camera studiously catches every frown, every half-smile, every twinkling of an eye makes this version a pure delight to watch from beginning to end.It's lovely.