Critically-acclaimed rom-com with ‘best kiss ever’ to air on TV today
Based on a literally classic of the same name, the 2020 film stars Anya Taylor-Joy and is available to watch for free today.
Anya Taylor-Joy's Regency romance is airing tonight (Sunday, November 10) on BBC Three and is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
The latest adaptation of Jane Austen's classic novel, Emma received praise upon its release on Valentine's Day in 2020, gaining a near-perfect 86% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Staying true to Austen's beloved story, the film follows wealthy protagonist Emma Woodhouse, who sees herself as the perfect matchmaker for her friends but often causes more harm than good. Even so, it is her clumsy and often comedic missteps in romance that lead her to find true love.
Taylor-Joy leads as the titular character, alongside a star-studded cast, including Mia Goth (Pearl), Miranda Hart (Miranda), Josh O'Connor (Challengers), Bill Nighy (The First Omen) and Callum Turner (The Boys in the Boat).
Director Autumn de Wilde marked her feature-film debut with the drama and it was largely well-received.
A Rotten Tomatoes critic praised the romance, writing: "Very witty and well-acted... Emma has been adapted a number of times, but this has enough intelligence in its adaptation to stand out from the crowd."
Before de Wilde's take on the novel, there had been various films based on the endearing protagonist.
One of the most notable adaptations was Amy Heckerling's 1995 coming-of-age flick Clueless, starring Alicia Silverstone and Paul Rudd.
De Wilde's comedic approach to the story proved popular even amongst fans.
One viewer shared on Reddit: "Any adaptation that ignores either the romantic or the comedic aspects of her work [Austen's] is doing her a great disservice. Emma (2020) was perfect in that regard. It was hilarious but also romantic and sweet - the ending is by far the best kiss we've ever gotten in an Austen adaptation."
A reviewer on Letterboxd praised the lead actress, writing: "Emma is really a joy to watch, it's one of those stories that keeps you smiling all the way through the movie. Anya Taylor-joy is simply wonderful as the title character, she expresses a charisma and attraction that makes her perfect for this character."
Another wrote: "In love with absolutely everything about this film."
Emma will air on BBC Three at 8pm tonight (Sunday, November 10). Viewers can also catch it on BBC iPlayer.