‘Utterly brilliant' period drama with 86% Rotten Tomatoes score
An underappreciated drama featuring Anya Taylor-Joy is set to air on UK television tonight (July 23) at no cost.
The 29-year-old Argentinian actress, who grew up in the UK, has rapidly become one of the most sought-after film stars of her generation.
Her breakthrough role came in 2015 with the gothic horror film The Witch, and she further cemented her status as a horror icon with performances in Split and its sequel, Glass.
Eager to demonstrate her versatility, Taylor-Joy delivered critically acclaimed performances in the dark comedy Thoroughbreds and the hit BBC series Peaky Blinders.
However, it was her portrayal of Beth Harmon in Netflix's The Queen's Gambit that truly propelled her to stardom, earning her a Golden Globe for the chess-themed drama, reports the Manchester Evening News.
Anya Taylor-Joy stars in an underrated Jane Austen adaptation (Image: Focus Features)
In recent years, she's appeared in Edgar Wright's Last Night in Soho, the Viking epic The Northman, and alongside Ralph Fiennes in The Menu.
After achieving box office success with The Super Mario Bros. Movie and leading Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Taylor-Joy is currently involved in the third Dune film.
As her star continues to rise with each project, it's worth revisiting a film that often gets overlooked in discussions of her work.
Based on the iconic Jane Austen novel of the same name, the 2020 period drama Emma features Taylor-Joy in the role of Miss Emma Woodhouse.
For those unfamiliar with the plot, Emma follows the life of a wealthy and elegant young woman living with her father in Regency-era England.
The drama also features acclaimed actor Bill Nighy (Image: Dumfries and Galloway Standard)
The film Emma, which sees the titular character amusing herself by playing matchmaker and meddling in others' love lives, stands out as one of the finest renditions of Jane Austen's revered novels.
Joining the ensemble is Johnny Flynn from The Dig, Josh O'Connor of Challengers fame, Dua Lipa's other half Callum Turner, Mia Goth from Pearl, Miranda Hart known for Call the Midwife, and Bill Nighy of Love Actually fame.
Helmed by Autumn de Wilde making her directorial debut, Emma charmed critics upon release, securing an impressive 86% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 257 reviews.
The critical consensus on the site states: "Other adaptations may do a better job of consistently capturing the spirit of the classic source material, but Jane Austen fans should still find a solid match in this Emma."
Meanwhile a casual moviegoer dubbed the film as "utterly brilliant."
Emma airs on Wednesday, July 23, at 11pm on BBC Two and on the BBC iPlayer.
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