REVIEW: ‘Persuasion’ is Disappointing

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.

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.