“Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever, and rich…had lived nearly 21 years in the world with very little to distress or vex her.”

The words that open Jane Austen’s classic story of “Emma” also welcome the audience to this world of early 19th century England in Autumn de Wilde’s adaptation of the work.

Its almost ominous tone clearly lays out that what follows will do its best to test our heroine in all her sensibilities.

This new adaptation does little to deviate from the source material but does give it a fresh look.

Anya Taylor-Joy plays a doe-eyed Emma Woodhouse who lives in a large country estate in the fictional village of Highbury, England. The life she leads is one filled with the standard activities of the genteel ladies of the time: tending to flowers, playing the piano, visiting the haberdasher and engaging in idle gossip. But Emma fancies herself a matchmaker having just married off her governess (Gemma Whelan) to the wealthy widower Mr. Weston (Rupert Graves).

So she sets about befriending and trying to find a husband for orphan Harriet Smith, played brilliantly by Mia Goth. Her intent is to make a match that improves Harriet’s socioeconomic station and the mousey Harriet hangs on Emma’s every word.

First, Emma pegs village vicar, the smarmy Mr. Elton (Josh O’Connor) as the key to Harriet’s heart, even though her friend has eyes for young well-to-do farmer Mr. Martin. Emma even passive-aggressively persuades Harriet to turn down Mr. Martin’s offer of marriage in hopes she can land the vicar.

But misunderstandings plague the would-be cupid, and she soon discovers true intentions of all the potential matches.

While most in the village dote on Emma and her whims, there is one who challenges her. George Knightley, played by the ruggedly dashing Johnny Flynn, has known the Woodhouses for years and, though the film never outright states his age or how long, has watched Emma grow up. (If we go by the original story, Knightley is 16 years older than Emma.)

“Emma” is de Wilde’s first stab at a feature film, and what an entrance it is.

She doesn’t rely on Austen and screenwriter Eleanor Catton’s words alone to paint the story, but she uses the unsaid glances and reactions of her actors to convey meaning and honesty to the pastel-colored Regency world we’re thrown into.

The character of Emma by all rights should be the most unlikeable character to follow around for two hours. She is privileged, prejudiced and spoiled to the hilt. This is one of the first versions of “Emma” that unflinchingly conveys that to the audience. But it is the chemistry between Taylor-Joy and her comrades that keeps us engaged in her story, waiting for the moment where she realizes her mistakes and owns them wholly.

The entire roster of characters are perfectly cast in their roles, in particular, Bill Nighy, who effortlessly steals every scene as Emma’s hypochondriac father. Flynn ages down Knightley with vigor and more emotional vulnerability than typical of many Austen male characters. And always delightful is Miranda Hart (Hollywood, cast her more) as spinster Miss Bates, who toes the line beautifully of being just an annoyance.

De Wilde has brought “Emma” back to life with radiance, and more use of the female gaze than usual, highlighting those chiseled jaws, bare backsides (that’s the partial nudity warned in the MPAA rating) and fleeting and tender touches of fingertips.

“Emma”

124 minutes

Rating: PG for brief partial nudity

3.5 stars