At first glance Cher, the central character of this film, seems to be the embodiment of a late twentieth-century "Valley Girl," complete with a computer-coded, accessorized wardrobe and a Jeep. She is the center of the stylish set at Beverly Hills High School. She has an indulgent father, a wealthy attorney, who allows her to purchase whatever she desires from the local shopping malls. On closer examination, it becomes apparent that Cher is really an old-fashioned girl. She refuses to date high school boys and she is saving herself for Luke Perry. She has more in common with a young woman of the late eighteenth-century, such as the title character of Jane Austen's novel, Emma, than it might seem at first.

As a young woman with a good deal of time on her hands, she amuses herself by encouraging romance among the people around her, her teachers and friends, just as Emma tries to exert control over her world by matchmaking. Cher's father worries that she does not have a direction in life. Cher takes an interest in a new, socially awkward, student in her school, Tai, and guides her transformation and integration into her clique. In the original novel Emma takes the young woman, Harriet, under her wing and introduces her to smart society.

Both Cher and Emma are at the apex of their respective social spheres. Cher is readily acknowledged as the most popular and stylish student at Beverly Hills High School. Emma is the daughter of the most prominent local gentry family. Emma is respected by her peers, and the nearby townsfolk show her deference. Both of these young women are the respective mistresses of their homes because their fathers were widowed when each of these ladies was very young. Both of these young women at the beginning of the tale do not believe that they need a relationship with a man to find fulfillment in their lives. Both of them discover the transformative power of love. After acknowledging their respective desire for a man who is practically a member of the family, they are inspired to help other people.

Both of these women are very self-sufficient, never imagining that the romantic relationship they are truly seeking is in fact right in front of them. This experience gives each of them new insight into matters of the heart where they had previously prided themselves on their expertise. This newfound love brings harmony to their respective spheres of influence, stabilizing not only their own lives, but those of the people around them.