Close Menu
  • Login
  • Support Us
  • Newsletter
  • News
  • Features
  • Interviews
  • Reviews
    • Video Games
      • Previews
      • PC
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X/S
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Xbox One
      • PS4
      • Tabletop
    • Film
    • TV
    • Anime
    • Comics
      • BOOM! Studios
      • Dark Horse Comics
      • DC Comics
      • IDW Publishing
      • Image Comics
      • Indie Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • Oni-Lion Forge
      • Valiant Comics
      • Vault Comics
  • Podcast
  • More
    • Event Coverage
    • BWT Recommends
    • RSS Feeds
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
Support Us
But Why Tho?
RSS Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube
Trending:
  • Features
    Cosmic Spider-Man card details

    [EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW] The Spider-Man Set Gets A 5-Color Legendary Spider

    09/02/2025
    Lee Corso from College Football GameDay in EA Sports games

    EA Sports Always Understood Lee Corso’s Legacy

    09/01/2025
    Peacemaker Season 2 Episode 2 But Why Tho 10

    Spider-Man Is Coming To Magic And It’s Just Like The Comics

    08/29/2025
    Star Wars Visions Volume 3 Black

    ‘Black’ Sets The Tone For A Bold New Mixtape In ‘Star Wars Visions: Volume 3’

    08/28/2025
    Olivia Colman in The Roses

    ‘The Roses’ Is A Reimagining, Not A Remake, And That’s Why It Works So Well

    08/27/2025
  • Indie Games
  • K-Dramas
  • Netflix
  • Apple TV+
But Why Tho?
Home » Film » REVIEW: ‘Persuasion’ is Disappointing

REVIEW: ‘Persuasion’ is Disappointing

Cidnya SilvaBy Cidnya Silva07/08/20224 Mins ReadUpdated:01/04/2023
Persuasion - But Why Tho
Share
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Reddit WhatsApp Email

Persuasion - But Why Tho

Persuasion is the newest Netflix adaptation of Jane Austen’s last novel of the same name. From director Carrie Cracknell, this film stars Dakota Johnson as Anne Elliot, Cosmo Jarvis as Captain Federick Wentworth, and Henry Golding as Mr. Elliot. The premise revolves around Anne dealing with her feelings for her first love, the now renowned Captain Wentworth. She once was engaged to this man when he was not as wealthy or socially acceptable and members of her family convinced her to cut him off because he was not an ideal choice for a debutant like her.

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here

Immediately, Persuasion approaches the 19th-century story with modernity. Johnson characterizes Anne as a puckish and fun character. Anne speaks directly into the camera to the viewers and provides not only our exposition but her thoughts on her life and her relationships with people. It’s clear that the intention is for comedic effect. Her family has lost its fortune, her love life is in shambles, and her ‘ex’ is now involved in her life. Johnson gives great energy with every scream into a pillow after a rough day, eye roll at the pretension of her sister-in-law, and annoyance with the day-to-day nature of society.

Taking a more comedic approach to this story isn’t inherently a bad thing, as Austen is a writer that was smart, quippy, and cutting in the way she poked fun at the society she wrote about. Regardless of the source material being more serious, Persuasion’s comedic angle showcases the many weaknesses of this film. Anne is no longer a complex character struggling with the intense love she feels for Wentwork. There is no introspection or substantial growth viewers experience in this close to a two-hour film. Anne is one-note and the film does not pace itself well enough to her explore her feelings in-depth as it is.

Johnson portrays Anne with a bravado that is hard not to love but, quickly her charm fades with Bass and Winslows script. This is further evidenced once Golding’s Mr. Elliot is introduced as a second possible love interest for Anne. Golding’s performance as Mr. Elliot is full of charm and confidence—a nice break from the lackluster performance of Wentworth—but his character is cast aside just as quickly as he stepped on the screen.

The character relationships that ensue are fast, rushed, and poorly written. If I wasn’t already familiar with the source material, I would be fairly confused by Persuasion. The script is messy and all over the place. With Anne as our main focus, this could have explored Anne’s internal struggle with societal acceptance, her need for love on her own terms with no outside influence, and what empowers a woman to marry for love.

Instead, viewers get brief snippets of Anne’s internal character conflict and her yearning for Wentworth. By extension, Wentworth is always shafted and his character falls short due to the comedic tone of the film. Anne and Wentworth have clumsy and awkward exchanges that feature the sort of delivery you’d expect from an episode of The Office as opposed to a romance about healing the wounds of two heartbroken people.

What Persuasion get’s right is the Austen aesthetic. There are lots of beautiful shots of Anne sitting in luscious green fields in a long gown and the wind in her hair. The costume work brings you into the world of Persuasion with its bright gowns and tailored suits. Secondary characters like Lady Dalrymple, Ms. Clay, and Mary Elliot bring viewers closer to the feel of Bath, the town the Elliots move to, as wives and ladies of their houses.

It’s unfortunate that even my love for Jane Austen could not get me to feel connected to this story, see past its flaws, or enjoy the experience. The film attempts to convey coyness and comedy and it leads itself to making Persuasion feel hollow, messy, and boring. Even with Johnson and Golding delivering fun performances, they couldn’t save what should have been a beautiful meditation on love lost, found, and healed. Despite being disappointing, Persuasion still scratches an itch for fans of second-chance romance.

Persuasion is streaming now on Netflix.

Persuasion Did What!?! – Netflix’s Persuasion Review

Living with her snobby family on the brink of bankruptcy, Anne Elliot is an unconforming woman with modern sensibilities. When Frederick Wentworth-the dashing one she let get away-crashes back into her life, Anne must choose between putting the past behind her or listening to her heart when it comes to second chances.

Persuasion
  • 5/10
    Rating - 5/10
5/10

TL;DR

It’s unfortunate that even my love for Jane Austen could not get me to feel connected to this story, see past its flaws, or enjoy the experience. The film attempts to convey coyness and comedy and it leads itself to making Persuasion feel hollow, messy, and boring. Even with Johnson and Golding delivering fun performances, they couldn’t save what should have been a beautiful meditation on love lost, found, and healed. Despite being disappointing, Persuasion still scratches an itch for fans of second-chance romance.

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Email
Previous ArticleREVIEW: ‘D.B. Cooper Where Are You?!’ Invites You Into the Mystery of a Legend
Next Article SPY x FAMILY & Chainsaw Man Heading to Crunchyroll Expo
Cidnya Silva

An avid reader since childhood, Cidnya has always surrounded her free time with pop culture. From watching horror movies to playing JRPGs, Cidnya loves to consume and immerse herself in various fictional worlds. Some of their favorite things include Twin Peaks, Batman, Kingdom Hearts, Coffee, and JoJo's Bizarre Adventure.

Related Posts

Choi Gyu-ri, Shin Eun-Soo in Love Untangled
7.5

REVIEW: ‘Love Untangled’ Is Just Adorable

08/31/2025
Austin Butler in Caught Stealing
8.5

REVIEW: ‘Caught Stealing’ Marks An Exciting Pivot for Darren Aronofsky

08/27/2025
Margaret Qualley stars as Honey O' Donahue in the film Honey Don't
8.5

REVIEW: ‘Honey Don’t!’ Is A Genius Work Of Subversion And Fantasy Fulfillment

08/25/2025
Benedict Cumberbatch in The Roses But Why Tho
5.0

 REVIEW: ‘The Roses’ Lacks A Thorny Edge

08/25/2025
Mert Ramazan Demir in Abandoned Man
6.5

REVIEW: ‘Abandoned Man’ Lacks Depth In Its Take On Betrayal

08/22/2025
Ne Zha 2 promotional still from a24
10.0

REVIEW: ‘Ne Zha 2’ Is One Of The Most Epic Feats Of Animation

08/21/2025

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here
TRENDING POSTS
Cosmic Spider-Man card details Features

[EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW] The Spider-Man Set Gets A 5-Color Legendary Spider

By Kate Sánchez09/02/2025Updated:09/02/2025

An exclusive look at a new 5-Color Spider entering Magic: The Gathering’s Spider-Man set, and Cosmic Spider-Man is going to be a tough one to take on.

Hololive EN at Radio City Music Hall Events

Hololive EN At Radio City Music Hall Was A Pure Expression Of Fandom

By Adrian Ruiz08/31/2025Updated:09/03/2025

Hololive EN turned Radio City in New York City into the pure expression of fandom: chants, penlights, and community in perfect sync.

Karl Anthony Towns in NBA 2k26 But Why Tho
8.5
PS5

REVIEW: ‘NBA 2K26’ Brings Basketball To Life

By Kyle Foley09/03/2025

NBA 2K26 combines improved visuals with some important tweaks to keep the series feeling fresh in the latest yearly release.

Cronos: The New Dawn Nest
8.0
PC

REVIEW: ‘Cronos: The New Dawn’ Does Post-Apocalyptic Psychological Horror Right

By Mick Abrahamson09/03/2025Updated:09/03/2025

While not particularly sacry, Cronos: The New Dawn is a lot of fun as a survival horror that puts you in the futuristic armor of the Traveler.

But Why Tho?
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest RSS YouTube Twitch
  • CONTACT US
  • ABOUT US
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER
  • Review Score Guide
Sometimes we include links to online retail stores. If you click on one and make a purchase we may receive a small contribution.
Written Content is Copyright © 2025 But Why Tho? A Geek Community

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

But Why Tho Logo

Support Us!

We're able to keep making content thanks to readers like YOU!
Support independent media today with
Click Here