Clueless

Watched: 7/3/09
Made: 1995 (Is it just me, or was 1995 a huge year for period dramas and Jane Austen?)

Yes, yes, I know that this is not what comes to mind when one thinks of Jane Austen, but "Clueless" captures the essence of "Emma" very well. Also, because it came out in 1995, a time in my life when I ate this kind of movie up, it has a special place in my heart. Obviously, this adaptation is aimed at a younger audience but that is something that I love about it. It is a way to introduce younger crowds to classic literature.

In "Clueless" our heroine, Cher (Alicia Silverstone), is the daughter of a rich lawyer in LA who is constantly attempting to romantically pair her acquaintances. Her mother died when she was young and her father remarried and then divorced his new wife providing Cher with a handsome, intelligent, and socially-conscious ex-step-brother named Josh (Paul Rudd)who ends up being her soul-mate in disguise. She has a best friend named Dion and the two of them befriend a new girl, Tai, (who is a bit slummy)and succeed in making her popular, well-liked and desirable to the boys. However, after a failed attempt to match Tai with Cher's friend Elton, Tai falls for Cher's brother and causes Cher to become jealous and then, finally, realise the depth of her feelings for Josh.

I love the playful dialogue and the verbal sparring between Cher and Josh. It is done in a way that would have made Jane Austen proud had she been around in 1995. The story stays pretty true to "Emma" with a few exceptions. I loved that Cher's guy friend was named Elton, a nod to the character Mr. Elton that mistakes Emma's matchmaking attempts (for her friend and Mr. Elton) as romantic attraction.

The story ends happy. Everyone gets what they deserve and it makes for a happy, fluffy movie to watch at least once every two years. This one goes on my list of "movies to watch when I'm sick or sad" right under my #1 film on the list "Bridget Jones' Diary" (oddly enough, another Jane Austen adaptation{Pride and Prejudice}).