I've seen every "Emma" ever made and this 1996 version is THE best. Everyone in it (from Gwyneth Paltrow and Ewan McGregor to Jeremy Northam) is great, but Alan Cumming's and Toni Collette's portrayals of the vicar and disadvantaged bestie (respectively) are pure hilarity GOLD! The Anya Taylor-Joy version from early 2020 was beautifully appointed with great sets and costuming, but the acting and action don't hold a candle to this '96 version. (Plus, all the male leads in the 2020 version looked weirdly alike - - I had a hard time figuring out who was whom.) Skip 2020's - - this 1996 gem is the one to watch.

Ewwww, brother ewwww

Jane Austen's classic novel comes to life with the help of Gwyneth Paltrow. Paltrow's portrayal of the titular character is superb. This adaptation makes the most of its source material and does it in the most respectful way possible. If you like "Clueless" then you'll love "Emma"

This is my least favorite Emma adaption. A big Austen novel fan, Emma is probably one of my favorite books. Gwenyth Paltrow is flat as the primary character with little to no chemistry on screen with either of her supposed love interests. The best actors in the flick, who saved it for me, were the actresses playing Ms. Bates and Mrs. Elton. They showed the other actors how to walk the bright, playful line while also staying true to character, which I believe is what the director was going for. However, the primary actors missed this marked, playing bright and light and missing the feeling of the time and the book. Watch instead Romola G in BBC's rendition. She is an amazing Emma. The best Mr. Knightley can be found in the 2020 version, which falls short in other ways but does that role justice.

Very well done! Very fun to watch!

The degree to which Clueless was superior to this movie has me worried about watching the 2020 remake here soon. Apparently they didn't know Clueless was being made when they started working on this, and I suppose there's room in the world for both versions, but for my personal tastes draining all of the comedy out while telling the same story is never going to make for a better movie, no matter how much I like Gwyneth and period movies in general.

Starts well, but Paltrow's repetitive performance, or perhaps the script, wears thin over time. Although the story is harmless and an Austen classic, by the end the termination has been desired for half an hour or so. Coming into it, I expected or even wanted to dislike this due slightly to Paltrow's reputation and something of a pseudoscientist coming out in recent years, and especially due to Harvey Weinstein's excessive involvement. This went out the window with the opening few scenes, as Paltrow captured the vivacious and meddling nature of Emma to great effect. The supporting cast was a bit hit-and-miss. Knightley's actor, Northam, is serviceable, and Ewan McGregor in a small role as Churchill welcome as always. Toni Colette is hardly recognisable for today's audiences. I think that Emma's father missed the humour of Bill Nighy in the more recent adaptation, not to knock on Denys Hawthorne. As all of the relationships progress and lead nowhere, the screenplay became fatigued and heavy-handed. Yes, there were amusing moments, but nothing memorable enough to make the whole, near two-hour experience fully worthwhile. For this reason, despite the film's numerous strengths, I cannot rate this higher.

Of the three(!) adaptations of Emma that came out in the span of sixteen(!) months from 1995-1996, the pacing of this one somewhat falters compared to the others, though it has its moments (Alan Cumming's Mr. Elton, for example, is perhaps the best to date and Ewan McGregor captures Frank Churchill's rakishness well). Sophie Thompson's Miss Bates is especially sympathetic.

Not the best version but sure to entertain.

This was a lovely film with two lovely leads but for me the standout which made it a truly memorable experience was the soundtrack. Rachel Portman is such a gifted composer and the music in this movie was rich and light and evocative just like the Jane Austen novel.

A very good, traditional, conservative, and faithful adaptation of the Austen novel complete with period costumes and settings.

Joyful In all of the right Jane Austen ways if I'm correct, it's a good time to view in light of the many classic modernizations and remakes with all good cinematic terms made. 3.75

With a lovely performance from Gwyneth Paltrow, Emma shines brightly as another Jane Austen work of art.

This 1996 version is the best. The 2020 version is OK but has many drawbacks compared to the 1996 version. The older version is more fun, far better actors and other elements in filmmaking. It is wonderful story that you never forget. So skip the 2020 version and buy a DVD or Blu-ray version of 1996.

One of my all time faves, loved the story pace and how the actors portrayed their characters, all of us cared so much what was going to happen. Beautiful costumes, gorgeous scenery, overall a great romance to watch!

I LOVE Emma with Gwyneth Paltrow and Jeremy Northam. The story is wonderful anyway, thanks to Jane Austen and these 2 leads did a wonderful job of bringing it to life. I love all of their costars too and think they all made Ms. Austen's hilarious comedy just as great as her book was for her readers.

Jane Austin is fine, I usually do enjoy the adaptions but this story itself is terrible. I really hate it tbt but the performances in this are great so I can't really complain a WHOLE lot.

i literally just signed up to give this movie the worst rating. what a terrible main character and i want my 2 hours back please thanks

The best romance movie ever made!

Jane Austen is evergreen- kinda like Shakespeare and Agatha Christie. Emma lacks the depth of passion present in the other Austen films, but, in large part because it's trying for something lighter and breezier, it's still fun. The film runs a little longer than seems necessary, and gets off to a slow, fitful start (Douglas McGrath's screenplay is not the equal of the other Austen adaptations), but Paltrow keeps us interested until the story's inherent romantic magic begins to weave its spell. Speaking of star-making turns, Emma is likely to open eyes to the talent of its leading lady, Gwyneth Paltrow who is rather good in the main lead. It's the romantic buried inside each of us that responds to movies like Emma. Sure, the film, like the Jane Austen novel upon which it is based, is laced with wit and sophistication. And, although it contains enough social commentary and character development to lift it well above the plane of genre romances, Emma is still primarily about lovers finding each other during a simpler age.