Happy weekend, my lovely readers. My review of Persuasion and its movie will be up soon, but I’ve also started reviewing updated takes on Jane Austen. I watched Lost in Austen, in which a 2008 Londoner accidentally takes Lizzie’s place in Pride and Prejudice. I also had the very exciting chance to talk about the webseries Lizzie Bennet Diaries and Emma Approved with Bernie Su and EA cast members!

Today, let’s take a look at one of the best-known modern takes on an Austen book (which also happened to be very popular with the Emma Approved cast!): the 1995 chick flick rom-com Clueless.

First things first.

What is the essence of Austen’s Emma? A spoiled, wealthy young woman with an indulgent father spends her days wielding her influence in town to both (1) get her way and (2) create what she believes will be happy relationships for deserving individuals. With time, she learns that she doesn’t always know what’s best for others and doesn’t see things quite so clearly or objectively as she believed — and recognizes the happy ending waiting for her right under her nose.

While the details and nuances of Regency-era English society are crucial to every Austen novel, I would argue that Emma is most easily updated. The relationships and happy-ending obstacles of, say, Pride and Prejudice? Rooted in the Regency class system and aristocratic pride. Obviously classism still exists today, but that story isn’t as immediately accessible to modern audiences without major changes, as opposed to “well-meaning matchmaker misreads the situation, problems ensue.”

Anyway, let’s see how the American 90s tackled Austen’s infamous “unlikable” heroine.

(Disclaimer: I have seen Clueless before, once, but it’s been so long and I paid so little attention that I don’t remember any of it. Also, I don’t think I knew it was an Austen adaptation.)

Characters

I like the updated Emma Woodhouse. Alicia Silverstone’s Cher is as wealthy, spoiled, and… well, clueless as the original character, while maintaining those deep-down (misguided) good intentions.

Her father, Mel Horowitz, played by Dan Hedaya, has much more of a backbone. I’m also interested to see who the discussed stepbrother Josh correlates to in the book. My first thought was John, Emma’s brother in law, but that seems like not an important enough character to be introduced so early with such emphasis…

Cher’s best friend Dionne is played by Stacey Dash. I’m guessing this is our 90s Anne Taylor/Mrs. Weston? She was Emma’s lifelong best friend, and the book begins with her marriage. Dionne, immediately cast as Cher’s social equal but clearly more sensible and grounded, fits the role. (I’m refraining from commentary on the 1990s fashion.)

Other than a black stereotype with braces, I’m not sure who Dionne’s boyfriend Murray (Donald Faison) is supposed to be. He certainly doesn’t fit Anne Taylor’s Mr. Weston from the book, and Cher is clearly not a fan of their relationship (Emma credits herself with bringing Miss Taylor and Mr. Weston together in the book). (Post-viewing editor’s note: as far as I can tell, Murray is a new character that doesn’t correlate to anyone in the book, added for the sake of Dionne’s character.)

VIZZINI! Wallace Shawn, known for his role in The Princess Bride, plays teacher Mr. Wendell Hall. I appreciate this poor, patient man.

Breckin Meyer plays the whiny, dramatic Travis. Jeremy Sisto plays Elton. Both are introduced as fellow classmates in Cher’s debate class. Placing my guesses now: based on his behavior, Travis is Robert Martin; based on his quiet demeanor but prominence in the cast listing, Elton is Mr. Knightley. (Editor’s note: …I was dumb.)

Seeing Paul Rudd (he plays stepbrother Josh) as a teenager is a strange experience for me. This is Ant-Man. This is the guy from Friends. This is the man whose face has never changed. He was a teenager? He hasn’t always been permanently 20-something?

And yes, I do recognize that, considering how much importance they gave Josh’s introduction and his interactions with Cher, it is possible Josh is Mr. Knightley. If they were friends behaving this way I’d put money on it. But… her stepbrother? Really? Please no.

…Yeah, he’s definitely Mr. Knightley.

I mean, technically-unrelated former stepbrother isn’t any worse than the original “knew her from infancy” Mr. Knightley, but… still. Her stepbrother?

It looks like the Anne Taylor/Mrs. Weston role has been divided for plot purposes, making Dionne Anne Taylor while teacher Miss Geist steps in as the eventual Mrs. Weston. Cher’s matchmaking efforts lead to… making her debate teacher happier so he’ll give her a better grade.

Wait why is a random guy kissing Cher. Who is this person? Wait. Wait. ELTON. I am such an idiot. Elton is literally just Elton.

Harriet Smith! Finally, we have our Harriet. Brittany Murphy plays Tai, who looks like she belongs more in Mean Girls or on my college campus than in this movie. Apparently, she’s a druggie? What have they done to my sweet Harriet Smith? Also, what is that accent? Where is she from?

“I’ve never had straight friends before” lol.

This is the one part I do remember: THE GAY GUY. Our wonderfully flirtatious Frank Churchill is Christian, the hottie Cher sets her sights on, played by Justin Walker. And wow, he really is a proper heartthrob.

Jane Fairfax becomes Elisa Donovan’s Amber, which I think is the weakest transition from book to movie here. I get what they were going for — Amber seems to be the only person with a brain in debate class, and her fashion and popularity is high enough to annoy Cher while not putting her quite on the same level. But, for one thing, it feels like they could cut the character out without affecting the story or Cher’s character at all. And Amber is mean, and just as vapid as the others — making fun of Tai’s clothes and whining about not playing tennis after getting a nose job — which is completely unlike the kind, virtuous woman in the book. Part of Emma’s jealousy is rooted in the fact that she fears Jane is a better person than her.

Later: Ah, now I see why they made Amber so mean. She isn’t just Jane Fairfax — she’s also Mrs. Elton. It all checks out. I still think the character could be cut completely without affecting Cher or the story line at all. She’s so forgettable.

Plot, writing, the deets

Lemme just say, if this movie came out in 2020, the only correct end game pairing would be Cher + Dionne.

One thing I do have to give this movie is that at least these teenagers actually look like teenagers.

Poor Travis. It’s interesting to see how different this movie is from the book, but the core of the characters, plot, and even tone has been largely maintained. The photo mix-ups, Tai hitting her head, the kerfuffle with the cars, it all tracks well with the book. And yes, Elton truly is the essence of Elton.

The mugging I didn’t expect. This movie keeps throwing the most random things out!

I really do see the chemistry of Paul Rudd with literally anyone, but the fact that he is a college student and Cher is… 15?? does not help the whole “ex-stepbrother” weird factor.

This dance party scene is giving The Bronze vibes from Buffy. Also, I love how they set up the big gay reveal. For a 90s movie it is actually well done. Christian’s cues are subtle enough to not be just a stereotype, but obvious enough to be genuinely funny. (No straight man says “hagsville,” honey.)

Cher dropping an entire log of cookie dough with a “thud” was the funniest thing I’d seen this week… until she flat out rolled off the bed. Loooove this part.

I don’t remember how Cher responds to the Big Gay Reveal, but I’m really rooting for a classic GBF. That would absolutely fit the tonal shift of post-flirting Emma and Frank, and it’s clearly what Christian wants out of this relationship. I feel so bad for him in the moment he realizes she doesn’t know he’s gay and is hitting on him.

FRIEND OF DOROTHY I love it.

And again this movie with the “sudden random insanity,” we have three teenagers shrieking in a convertible on the freeway, then making out parked in the exit. What is this movie??

I’m not sure what’s going on with the lunch scene. Cher is clearly suddenly jealous of Tai, which I don’t remember happening with the Emma/Harriet dynamic. And then Tai is heartless to Travis in front of everyone, in a scene reminiscent of the picnic but with very different roles and ramifications. This is followed by a scene of Cher being casually racist to her family’s housekeeper, which feels brushed by way too easily. If Amber is the weakest character, this feels like the weakest plot point as far as adaptation goes.

We’re skipping the Frank/Knightley mix-up between Emma and Harriet, which works fine; Tai jumps right into asking Cher for help with Josh. Like other updated Emma adaptations I’ve seen, Clueless gives post-makeover Tai more of a backbone, but this one also makes her a bit mean. It goes a little too far in my opinion, but it does make you sympathize more with Cher when she has her light bulb I-love-Josh moment.

This soundtrack is killing me, by the way. This use of “All By Myself” just takes the cake.

I know it used to be in style, but that ribbed spaghetti-strap top over a t-shirt when Cher is sitting next to ageless Paul Rudd does not help the uncomfortable age difference. So very high school.

So we get the moment of realization, the kiss, the happily ever after. But… how weird must this be for their dad? Mel clearly thinks of Josh as still his son. I mean, that was his whole thing. “You divorce wives, not children.” His biological daughter, who is 16, and the guy he thinks of as his stepson and her stepbrother, a college student, kissing?? Paul Rudd can make sparks fly with anyone, but this feels weeeeeiiiird. The age gap was wider in the book, but we gave that a pass because it was standard 1800s behavior. Was dating your adult stepbrother just totally fine for 90s teenagers?

I appreciate that we can’t have an Austen story without somebody getting married, so the Westons teachers tie the knot at the end. But, at Cher’s house? With all their students invited? What is this movie??

On that note… what is this movie??

Were touchscreens a thing in 1995?

The over-the-top crowd surrounding Dionna and Murray’s fight: When has any high school ever had that many people who care about a single relationship? It’s The Kissing Booth all over again.

I have no frame of reference for this 90s slang. Was this movie over the top then? Or is this supposed to be how teenagers actually talked the year before I was born? This has to be an exaggeration, right?

Tthere is no way “and everyone clapped” has ever happened in any classroom of teenagers, ever. Not even in the 90s.

Why does this teacher put up with these kids.

THIS GIRL DOES NOT EVEN HAVE A DRIVER’S LICENSE. I mean, that explains the driving in the opening of the movie. But wow, privileged.

I think this was intentional, but this movie is so dated, so rooted in the 90s. Who is Marky Mark? Who has ever talked like this in all of history? I’d comment on the clothes, but I’m honestly not sure how exaggerated some of this wardrobe may or may not be.

Who put all these girls in nose strips in the middle of the school day in broad sunlight? (Editor’s note: I think this is a plastic surgery joke? I’m not sure. They still look like nose strips to me. Either way, who goes to school looking like that?)

There is a lot of drug use in this movie. And stereotypes. And casual lawbreaking. It’s just…. it’s a different world.

I don’t know who this college chick is supposed to be, but watching a high schooler school her on Hamlet via Mel Gibson is delightful.

Why is the high school boyfriend teaching Dionne to drive?

Skaters were cool in the 90s, right? That was when that was a thing?

I am the most wedding-obsessed person I know, and I have never seen anyone that rabid over a bouquet toss. What is this movie??