Inspector Lewis: The Mind Has Mountains

I can't believe we're already looking at the end of Inspector Lewis's fourth series run on Masterpiece Mystery next week. :-/ This year's episodes have been extraordinarily good, and for Hathaway fans (such as yours truly *wink*), last night's episode The Mind Has Mountains gave one plenty to savor -- Hathaway was on fire and the zingers just never stopped! *happiness* Here's the episode summary from the PBS website:

"Call the guinea pigs, would you," directs the brilliant psychiatrist Dr. Alex Gansa. The assorted subjects pile in to get their medication — all part of a week-long antidepressant drug trial taking place on the Oxford campus. The drug being tested is a form of ketamine — a horse tranquilizer and party circuit favorite. When trial subject Amy Katz is found dead, the drug-induced veil of contentment starts to tear. Katz was the unwitting object of obsession for several other patients, under the dubious care of the morally questionable Gansa. Lewis and Hathaway, aligned in their quiet distaste for psychiatry, uncover a number of provocative clues — condemning phone messages, notes and the remnants of a damning video diary made by the dead patient. The facts are furiously lining up. But in the mysterious realm of the human mind, sometimes certainty is deceiving. Kevin Whately and Laurence Fox star alongside Douglas Henshall (South Riding, Collision) in Inspector Lewis: The Mind Has Mountains.

From the moment this episode began, I had a suspicion that it would quickly become a favorite of the series and happily, I was not disappointed. Not only does The Mind Has Mountains feature hands-down some of the best guest star appearances in the show's history, it is a real corker of a mystery, fast-paced, tightly plotted, and with so many twists and turns and red herrings that I nearly gave myself whiplash trying to guess the outcome. And as an added bonus, the opening scenes promise some forward momentum (finally) into the tangled "mystery" of the Lewis (Kevin Whately) and Hobson will-they-or-won't-they-romance.

I loved the enclosed setting of this mystery -- yes, the location of the antidepressant drug trial is in a building on the Oxford campus, but the location is on the surface idyllic enough, and the motley collection of participants eclectic enough, that it struck me as vaguely reminscent of a "country house" mystery in the Agatha Christie vein. You know someone in the house did it, the only question is how many people will meet their end before the perpetrator is discovered. Most exciting of all for me was the fact that the doctor running this trial was played by one of my favorite actors, Douglas Henshall. Henshall came to my attention when I started watching Primeval (and goodness I have got to say that show misses Cutter!), and he's followed that up with appearances in Collision and South Riding. As Dr. Alex Gansa, Henshall is charming and charismatic -- it's quite easy to see how he might become the object of a patient's fantasy, the only question is whether or not he's the type to act on those "opportunities."

Hathaway (Laurence Fox) was just ON FIRE for this entire episode. While Hathaway maintained his usually calm and unflappable demeanor, there was this constant undercurrent of barely controlled energy -- frustration? -- that seemed to be simmering just below the surface of Fox's performance (LOVED it). From the opening scene when he witnesses Hobson (Clare Holman) on a dinner date WITH SOMEONE OTHER THAN HIS BFF LEWIS, Hathaway kicks the snark and sarcasm into overdrive. What is amazing to me about Hathaway's reaction is that you can sense so much of the snarkiness in his demeanor -- he doesn't actually have to verbalize anything (which is good, because he hardly ever does that -- however, in this episode, the man was in top verbal sparring form!). Two moments in this episode will in particular go down as series favorites. The first, when Gansa calls Hathaway "an odd policeman...I mean odd for a policeman" (Henshall's delivery of this line is pitch-perfect); the second, when Hathaway has an ACTUAL PHYSICAL CONFRONTATION with Dane (Sam Hazeldine), an ex-soldier and one of the trial's test subjects. All I could say to that was rawr. *wink* (Side note: Hazeldine looked familiar, and today I discovered he's appeared in Foyle's War, Robin Hood, and Persuasion.)

Speaking of the patients, it was great to see Thomas Brodie-Sangster as Adam Douglas, a student dangerously obsessed with the first victim. I rather feel as though I've watched Thomas grow up on-screen, as he started his career with roles in films like Nanny McPhee and The Last Legion, and progressed to a memorable turn in the two part Doctor Who story arc "Human Nature"/"Family of Blood." Adam was just one of many who had very strong reactions to the presence of Amy in the test house. Gansa's wife Claire (Christina Cole) was actually a former patient of her husband's (oh what a tangled web this show weaves!) who resented Amy's obsession with her spouse. It was really quite refreshing to see Cole play a sympathetic character -- I'm used to her more villainous/manipulative turns, such as in Jane Eyre where she played Blanche Ingram, or Emma where she played Mrs. Elton.

It was really quite interesting to watch the Lewis and Hathaway dynamic in this episode. Let me be clear -- that's always the main draw of this series -- but in this episode I felt like Whately and Fox brought a little something extra to their performances. This storyline -- both the investigation and the insights into their personal lives -- allowed both of them to cut loose a bit, to relax and really explore how comfortable the two have become since the somewhat testy early days of their professional partnership. I loved that Hathaway thought he should keep mum about Hobson's non-Lewis date, while Lewis couldn't understand why he didn't share the intelligence. Hathaway's rejoinder at the end of the episode was PRICELESS -- "I hope that you and Dr. Hobson work it out. Whatever it is, which you've got to admit, is a bit of a mystery." HA!

So, this is my theory about the Lewis and Hobson relationship. In the final episode of Series 3 (Falling Darkness), the burgeoning romance hit the rocks and its progression ground to a halt when Hobson's murky college past came to light. Lewis is SUCH a straight arrow, and such a S-L-O-W mover that I could see something like those events causing him to step back a bit. Perhaps that's why we've been getting this dance around their attraction issue for the past two episodes? Either way, it was quite funny to have the Lewis/Hobson non-relationship relationship so much at the front and center of this episode, to the point where the Chef (Rebecca Front) actually comments on how she wants to bang Lewis and Hobson's heads together. *wink*

I have to give the script a ton of credit for the whiplash pace that this mystery unfolded at, to the point where it kept me guessing until almost the finale. I really expected Henshall's character to take the fall for Katz's death and his wife's attempted murder -- so it was really a pleasant surprise when Lewis discovers that the arrogant doctor's assertion that his assistant Bethan (Lucy Lieman) is obsessed with him, bent on destroying anyone she views as a threat to their imaginary relationship. Apparently the good doctor and I were both a little slow on the uptake in that regard, because I really didn't see that coming until the final 15-20 minutes, because I SO expected Gansa to be the guilty one. (And who was expecting Lewis to get involved in a physical altercation with with Bethan???) Instead, I get surprised with HENSHALL ANGST as his character vows to stay by his coma-stricken wife until she awakens. Just goes to show you NEVER know, hmm? :P

This episode was extraordinarily well-constructed and fast-paced, definitely a favorite of mine in the Lewis canon. Fully of sparkling, sarcastic one-liners, unexpected action sequences, and some forward momentum in the Lewis/Hobson romance, and you have a winning formula all the way around. I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Poirot: Appointment with Death

Agatha Christie's Middle Eastern-set mysteries have always ranked among my favorites of her work. She had such a gift for bringing the land, people, and history, dripping with mysterious possibilities, to vibrant, colorful life in her books. I really looked forward to the latest adaptation of Appointment with Death on Masterpiece Mystery. Not only is it packed with a first-rate cast, but the novel is one of my favorites, and the setting is FABULOUS. Following the recent trend of completely rewriting - and in many cases butchering - Christie's original stories, Appointment deviates substantially from the original novel. However, in this case, I'm able to pretty much enjoy the film version "as is," despite the fact that I think Christie's story is much better than this reworked version. One can't beat the original. :) That said, here's the film summary from the PBS website:

Impassioned archaeologist Lord Greville Boynton, accompanied by his universally despised wealthy second wife Lady Boynton, is in zealous pursuit of a major artifact in Syria. A curious array of onlookers has also gathered in the unforgiving desert heat — among them the tormented Boynton children, a psychiatrist, a nun, a travel writer and a cerebral but not exactly rugged Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot. When most of the camp returns from an expedition, they find Lady Boynton has been stabbed to death. How can Poirot make sense of a murder when most of the suspects weren't even present at the time of death? Poirot's investigation exposes red herrings, broken personalities and a tragic back story buried deep. Will Poirot give up in frustration or will the voices of his little grey cells sing out and solve the case? David Suchet stars as Hercule Poirot in this adaptation of the novel by Agatha Christie, joined by Tim Curry (Return to Cranford). (One episode; 90 minutes; TV-PG).

Lord Greville Boynton's lifelong quest to discover the resting place of the head of John the Baptist is on it's latest stop in Syria, where his family and a host of interested onlookers converge on the dig site to witness Boynton's hoped-for archaeological triumph. Boynton is brough to life with energy and verve by the fabulous Tim Curry, last seen on Masterpiece in Return to Cranford. Boynton is rather likable if frustrating - completely absorbed by his work, he is also completely blind to the fact that his wife, Lady Boynton (Cheryl Campbell) is universally despised by family and acquaintances alike. Campbell may be familiar to fans of Inspector Lewis - the actress appeared in the episode Music to Die For. Campbell positively chews the scenery in every scene she appears in - one has to wonder if she relished, just a bit, the chance to play so wholly repulsive a character like Lady Boynton. Interestingly, the script chooses to make Lady B. a big player in the American financial markets - a wholly fictional construct when compared to the novel, but it opens the door to interesting motives for murder in the film.

Lady Boynton adopted three children prior to her marriage to Lord Boynton - three children trained to live in absolute terror of their "mother," scarred by years of mental and physical abuse at the hands of either her or her lackey, Nanny (Angela Pleasence). The now-adult children are the handsome Raymond (Tom Riley), Carol (Emma Cunniffe), and the emotionally volatile Jinny (Zoe Boyle). Riley has appeared in both Inspector Lewis and Marple episodes, as well as a memorable turn as Mr. Wickham in the hilariously wonderful Lost in Austen. With his movie-star good looks and already a backlist of memorable film appearances, I look forward to Riley's future career. He plays the edgy, tortured Raymond chillingly well. Boyle's turn as Jinny was her first film credit, and she's also an Inspector Lewis veteran - and will be appearing in season two of Downton Abbey next year as Miss Lavinia Swire.

Two members of the expedition take a particular interest in Jinny's welfare - Dr. Gerard, played by the always fabulous John Hannah, and Dame Celia Westholme, adventuress and author, played by the unbelievably classy Elizabeth McGovern. I just adore John Hannah - his accent and screen presence can just make me melt. :) Hannah is perhaps most familiar to movie-going audiences from the Mummy franchise, where he played Brendan Fraser's brother-in-law. One of my absolute favorite roles of Hannah's, though, is from his Masterpiece appearance in the Marple episode The 4:50 from Paddington (also known as What Mrs. McGillicuddy Saw). People, he is to die for adorable in that episode. McGovern just exudes class, and I can't wait to see her return to Masterpiece Classic as the Countess of Grantham in Downton Abbey. She's one of the few actress I can think of that could really sell the "adventuress" aspect of Westholme's character in this film.

Christina Cole makes a memorable appearance as Dr. Sarah King, who is attracted to Raymond in spite of the man's crippling mother issues. I just love Cole - she's appeared in so many Masterpiece Mystery presentations she really should be classified as a series regular. She first appeared in Foyle's War, followed by a Marple appearance, then Inspector Lewis later this year - and in between she's made memorable turns as Mrs Elton in Emma, Caroline Bingley in Lost in Austen, and Blanche Ingram in Jane Eyre. Sarah has the patience of a saint when it comes to Raymond. I've also got to mention Christian McKay's appearance as the American investor Cope. He does an extraordinarily good job playing Americans, especially the one and only Orson Welles in the filmic love letter to New York City, Me and Orson Welles (my review). Cope in this incarnation is an interesting character, since he only joined the expedition to witness the destruction of Lady Boynton's financial empire.

I almost forgot to mention Mark Gatiss's appearance as Lord Boynton's son Leonard. Gatiss is currently on my A-list as co-creator of the fabulous, mind-blowingly amazing Sherlock television show, where he also plays Holmes's brother Mycroft. He comes across as just so ickily proper he never fails to crack me up.

I've pretty much given up trying to figure out why scriptwriters feel the need to one-up Christie's genius, or make her timeless mysteries more "relevant" to contemporary audiences by the insertion of storylines I ffeel pretty sure Christie would never touch with a ten-foot pole. Lady Boynton is completely hateful in the novel, but she's not quite the sadistic child abuser as painted in the flashback scenes in this film. That said, since the filmmakers did go down this road, they handled the revenge plot against Lady B. concocted by Celia Westholme and Dr. Gerard fairly well. Of all the characters, the script does remain true to the novel's idea that Celia is the woman with the most to fear or hold against Lady Boynton's machinations.

On the other hand, the whole white slavery ring involving a Polish nun (yes, that is not a typo) feels completely ridiculous, almost laughably so. The nun in question is played by Beth Goddard, who most recently briefly appeared in X-Men: First Class as the young Charles Xavier's mother. In a ridiculously melodramatic twist, the nun shadows the vulnerable Jinny as a potential kidnap victim, and then gets hers when she drops dead in the desert from heatstroke. The horribly abused children angle does add a dark shading to the storyline, but at least it speaks to a compelling motive for Lady Boynton's murder. The slavery angle is just a ridiculously conceived, poorly executed, and completely unnecessary red herring.

Despite the film's departures from the source material, I really do enjoy this adaptation to the Poirot film series. I adore the archaeological setting, and the clothing and furniture just drip with period charm and detail. The film series proves once again that film versions of Christie's stories are excellent excuses to gather a whole slew of acting talent together in one place and deck them out in period costumes. The story is moody, atmospheric, and tense, and best of all, Poirot acts like the sleuth I know and love from both the novels and all of Suchet's previous appearances as Poirot (Murder on the Orient Express being a notable exception). Charming, witty, and insightful, Appointment with Death showcases the Poirot I know and love.

If you've read the book and/or seen this film version, I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Hercule Poirot concludes tomorrow...

Tomorrow on Masterpiece Mystery, this season of Hercule Poirot concludes with an adaptation of the Agatha Christie novel, Appointment with Death. Here's a bit about the story:

Don't miss this season's final new episode of Hercule Poirot, Sunday, July 25, 2010, on MASTERPIECE MYSTERY. In Appointment with Death, an archaeological dig is the scene of a murder in the Middle East, leading Poirot to unearth a tragic tale of twisted family secrets. The cast of suspects includes co-stars Tim Curry and Elizabeth McGovern.

In addition to the presence of David Suchet, Tim Curry, and Elizabeth McGovern (loved her in The Scarlet Pimpernel opposite Richard E. Grant!), this production also features Christina Cole, Tom Riley, Christian McKay, and JOHN HANNAH! I love JH. :)

Emma, part 3

Bet you thought this write-up was never coming, right? :) Goodness knows I am completely incapable of leaving a series on British film unfinished, never mind the blogs are weeks off schedule. Oh well. *wink*

I'm actually glad I left off writing about the final episode of Emma until I could watch it on DVD. To start with, here's the episode summary from the Masterpiece website:

What was intended as a day of fun turns into a day of agony for everyone on the Box Hill excursion. Things come to a head when, egged on by Frank, Emma behaves very badly, insulting Miss Bates. Emma is berated by Knightley and realizes that her behavior was shameful. She tries to repair things with Jane and Miss Bates, but Jane will not see her. Miss Bates tells her that Jane has cried all night and decided to accept a job as a governess. Meanwhile, Knightley goes to stay with his brother in London — he will be away for a while. When Frank's aunt dies, the Westons expect him to propose to Emma — but his actions set in motion a chain of events that both shock Emma and make her realize something that has been in plain sight all along.

This is the "payoff" episode of the Emma story, when Emma begins to realize that her machinations may have cost her the love of her life. Don't you love it? :) The episode opens with the strawberry picking expedition at Donwell Abbey. Knightley (Jonny Lee Miller) has pulled out all of the stops to ensure Mr. Woodhouse's (Michael Gambon) comfort, since he is always so loathe to leave his own home. It was a sweet moment, as you can see that Knightley's practically begging Emma to see that he's doing this all for her, and Emma, while appreciative, is happily oblivious to that fact. This portion of the program also has a very funny scene with Mr. Elton (Blake Ritson) leading his new bride (Christina Cole) to Donwell on the back of a donkey. The look on Ritson's face is comic gold. :)

I think this production of Emma does the best job, that I've seen anyway, of showing real growth and transformation in Emma's character. Romola Garai has completely exceeded my expectations with her performance. She starts off so sure of herself, so superficial in so many, many ways, and by the conclusion of this film version we see her become kinder, more understanding, more considerate. The scenes between Garai and Gambon and father and daughter do an excellent job of highlighting the kind, patient side of Emma's character. Garai's Emma expresses such a love and patience for her father that's wonderful to see. And I love Gambon's take on Mr. Woodhouse - the way he plays the character really seems to indicate that he really struggles with - well, I'm not sure - senility? social anxiety disorder? Sandy Welch's screenplay and Gambon's acting make Mr. Woodhouse much more than a high-maintenence presence on the pages of Austen's novel.

This episode covers the Box Hill excursion, which has to be one of the most painful episodes to read or see enacted on-screen, thanks to Emma's thoughtless set-down of Miss Bates (Tamsin Greig). I really appreciated the way this scene played out, showing Emma as she realizes she's gone too far, and how she graduall becomes fed up with Frank Churchill (Rupert Evans). Garai plays the scene by having Emma realize that she doesn't like the woman she's become when she's with Frank - but, since he's the type of gentleman she's always dreamed of, it's a hard realization to come to terms with. Speaking of Churchill, this adaptation left me feeling more than ever that poor Jane Fairfax, played with an almost elfin-like quality by Laura Pyper, is DOOMED. I always marvel at Jane's ability to put up with Frank's little games, but Pyper's take on Jane makes the character seem more vulnerable, somehow, than what's been shown in previous Emma films.

After the Box Hill debacle, Emma clearly has endured, perhaps for the first time, a painful dose of cold, hard reality. The following day her costumes even undergo a transformation, as she wears black and gray to visit Miss Bates in an attempt to make amends. She handles the revelation of Frank and Jane's secret engagement with a lot of maturity - balanced, of course, by a humorous moment when she berates Frank for daring to lead her on. Emma's changed a lot over the course of this series, but it's moments like that which remind you that some things never change. :)

The BEST part of this installment is, of course, getting to see Emma and Mr. Knightley finally, finally declare their love for each other. This moment is made even sweeter by all of the emotional turmoil Emma must endure first; one, by worrying that her propensity for thoughtlessness has cost her Knightley's esteem and two, that he may actually prefer her friend Harriet (Louise Dylan). By this point Emma actually considers Harriet a friend, so the possibility that she could lose Knightley to her is even more painful. I loved the way Miller played Knightley during these scenes. The combination of uncertainty, hope, and nerves is really quite adorable. :) And I loved the way Garai expressed Emma's joy and relief at realizing her love for Mr. Knightley will not go unrequited. This brings me to an important point - if you only watched the broadcast version of Emma, for goodness' sake track down the DVD. PBS inexplicably made the call to cut a short but wonderful scene between Emma and Mr. Knightley, where they discuss when each first realized they were in love with the other. The moment when Emma confesses that when she looked into her heart, she found Mr. Knightley - well, it's a sweet little moment to savor. :) I also absolutely LOVED Emma's freak-out scene when reality has set in and she fears that she can't marry because that would require her to leave her father. Seeing a rattled Emma juxtaposed with a very calm Knightley is quite funny (and I loved the shot of them going in to tell Mr. Woodhouse their plans, and Knightley reaches behind Emma to grasp her hand - so sweet!).

This adaptation of Emma has proven to be a superb addition to the long list of Jane Austen-related films. The pacing and acting are superb across the board, as are the costumes and sets. Welch's script hits all of the necessary story beats (to my mind, anyway) while providing a fresh perspective and look at the story that's so familiar to fans of Gwyneth Paltrow or Kate Beckinsale versions. Of course a major highlight of this production for me was getting to see Jonny Lee Miller play another Austen hero, and he did not disappoint. :) I also have a greater appreciation for Romola Garai as an actress. She balances Emma's self-centeredness with her growing compassion and, dare I say it, a touch of humility as well. I also must comment on Samuel Sim's gorgeous score, it was absolutely beautiful. Very, very well done all around BBC. :)

*Oh, I almost forgot - I LOVED the mention of Mr. Woodhouse's chickens at the end of this show - too funny!

Emma, part 2

Well, in case ya'll couldn't tell last week, I was a little busy with reading and book reviewing, so the final two Emma reviews never happened. I mean to rectify that situation directly. :) Here is the episode two summary from the PBS website:

Emma teases Mr. Knightley about Jane, but he remains tight-lipped. Meanwhile, Frank and Emma plan a ball, and Emma wonders whether she might be in love with him. With her matchmaking officially abandoned, Emma feels cooped up and bored. Mr. Knightley suggests a day trip to Box Hill for a change of scene. He also tells Emma that he suspects Frank and Jane are secretly in love. Emma rebuffs the suggestion — she can personally vouch for Frank's indifference to Jane.

I have to say, I'm not a fan of how PBS divided this program so it would cover three weeks' worth of Masterpiece Classic time. To get two hours the first week, and then only a hour the next (really, only 45-50 minutes) just left me feeling a little ripped off. The show is too good to watch in such "tiny" segments, LOL! Needless to say, this program will be enjoyed many times over when my DVDs arrive from Amazon (currently it's only $21.99!).

This segment of Emma explores our heroine's misconception that she's in love with Frank Churchill (played by Rupert Evans). How this plays out on-screen is a great example, I think, of how well Sandy Welch's script and Romola Garai's performance work well to give this incarnation of Emma a little more depth, spending a little more time exploring why she acts the way she does, and how she perceives the circumstances playing out in her sphere of influence. I love how Garai dances between Emma's propensity for self-centeredness and her slowly awakening care and compassion for those around her, such as Harriet (Louise Dylan). Speaking of Harriet, I've been pretty pleased with Dylan's performance. She's a relative newcomer (see her IMDB page), but with appearances in Merlin and Lewis, and now this, she could be well on her way to building a solid resume.

My favorite introduction in this episode is the infamous Mrs. Elton - I actually think I screamed when she walked on-screen. Mrs. Elton is played by Christina Cole. Not only is she a fantastic actress in my opinion, but she has the market cornered in playing classic shrews. In addition to the role of Mrs. Elton, she's played Caroline Bingley in Lost in Austen and Blanche Ingram in Jane Eyre (not to mention noticable guest spots in shows like Doctor Who and Poirot). Cole is a perfect match to Blake Ritson's icy and pretentious Mr. Elton, and her take on Mrs. Elton provides an excellent foil to Emma, who is left positively stuttering with rage and frustration at her impudence. When Mrs. Elton first appears in church, Mr. E.'s introduction of her was hilarious - I loved how Ritson deadpanned his delivery of expounding on one of his favorite scriptures, "let deceitful lips be made dumb." That was just so unexpected, but so appropriate, I loved it!

I mentioned earlier the whole Emma/Frank Churchill dynamic - I think it plays out really, really well in this adaptation. I loved Emma's rather dewy-eyed infatuation with Frank. Garai plays it in a way that strikes me as very honest, and I think underscores the fact that while Emma thinks she can run everyone else's lives, she is completely clueless when it comes to knowing her own heart. Churchill completely takes her for a ride, but I have just the tiniest bit of sympathy for her because Garai lets one see that Emma's affections could be in peril. She's a control freak, yes, but I like her. :)

Of course the highlight of this program is the way the Knightley/Emma relationship develops. There's more time to see events unfold here, versus in the 90 minute or so feature films that have been Austen-film staples for the last ten-plus years. Jonny Lee Miller's take on Mr. Knightley has been absolutely FANTASTIC. My favorite moment in this episode comes at the Highbury ball. Not only does Emma get to witness Knightley's chivalry (when he rescues Harriet from being snubbed by Elton), but she acknowledges that where Mr. Elton was concerned, Knightley was 100% correct. That's major progress, right people?! :) And then there's the dance. Excuse me while a swoon for a second. ;) To my knowledge, this is the first Emma adaptation that doesn't preface the dance with the exchange that Emma and Knightley aren't "so like brother and sister that dancing would be improper" (or something like that, just quoting from memory here). THANK YOU, Sandy Welch, for skipping that quote. It serves to "freshen" the moment, since all the story beats are so well-known, plus it doesn't throw up in one's face that Knightley is like twice Emma's age (or close to it). I have no problem with age differences in romantic pairings, don't get me wrong - I'm just tired of having it mentioned in Emma films because it always seems to come off rather awkwardly to my ears.

All that to say - the look Knightley gives Emma when she says she'll dance with him, if only he'll ask - that pause, that look, is to die for. Well played, Jonny Lee Miller, well played. In that moment, Miller lets you see just how much Knightley cares for Emma. There's no frustration with immaturity, there's only love, affection, and a belief in their possible future that's lovely to see. This Knightley is intense and determined, and I love it!! I just have to point out, though, the hilarity to be found in one of his solo scenes (after the ball, when he visualizes dancing with Emma). That moment is such a rip-off of the Darcy-watching-Elizabeth-play-the-piano-scene-and-then-daydreaming-about-it moment from Pride and Prejudice that it's not even funny. Well, it is funny, especially when you consider that he's imagining watching Emma dance when he was dancing with her...the total disregard to perspective cracked me up. ;)

I could go on and on, and mention Knightley's smack-down of Mrs. Elton regarding the as-yet-undetermined Mrs. Knightley being the only woman who would manage his social affairs, or Knightley's thinly veiled jealousy and concern about Frank's relationship with Emma, but I suppose I'll stop now. :) So tell me, at what point did Jonnny Lee Miller win you over? Because I refuse to entertain the possibility that he didn't. ;)