Mr. Knightley is the best. He has always been the best.
Standing in line at the concession stand on a Thursday night for the first Palo Alto screening of the new Emma, self got into spirited discussion with two young women about thoughts of different Emma iterations. “Oh! The Winona Ryder version, so under-rated!”
Self had to think a moment before saying “Christian Bale, right?” Ooh, that was good casting!
“The most under-rated Mr. Knightley is still Paul Rudd,” said a young woman.
That’s right! How could self forget! Clueless! Paul Rudd, what a dreamboat!
“I want Paul Rudd’s skin-care routine,” said another young woman.
“Me, too!” self put in, enthusiastic. “Mr. Knightley’s supposed to have a nude scene in this one.”
“The problem is when they make him too old,” said the young woman.
“Well, remember Johnny Lee Miller? He was GREAT. And THIS one’s a rock singer, too.”
“BBC, right?”
“Right! Romola Garai as Emma!”
That is the most fun self has had in a movie concession stand, EVER.
As to the movie itself. The reason self was madly rushing to the movie, despite her front lawn looking like this:
was Sheila O’Malley’s review.
After seeing the movie, self doesn’t think Johnny Flynn unseats Johnny Lee Miller. Or Paul Rudd.
Since this is the first time she’s ever seen Johnny Flynn, she can’t tell if he always speaks in that languid drawl, or if he just speaks that way because he’s playing Mr. Knightley. But his eyes speak volumes!
Nevertheless, self was vastly put off by those great, bushy sideburns. And decided forthwith that sideburns are just — a mood-killer.
And the starched cravats slicing into Flynn’s cheekbones, what!
And she was completely shocked that there was no build-up to the nude scene. But was happy to see the actor was slender — i.e., not buff. Which would have been a real slap in the face to Mr. Knightley if he were, in self’s humble opinion.
Stay tuned.
