Trying to Make Sense of Netflix's Persuasion 2022 |

[@theluminouslunatic]

I couldn't get past the "charles wanted to marry me first" line it was just too horrible

[@cat_96]

I was like... was that supposed to be something she meant to say in her head, but accidentally said it out loud?? Nope she just wanted to make Wentworth jealous... Just pathetic

[@andreavalle3987]

I almost died

[@thegratefulliving6073]

@@cat_96 Exactly. I was thinking, did I hear that only, or did the others at the table hear it, too?

[@BlatantlyBookish]

I think I crawled under their dinner table at that point.

[@freshparchment]

Yes! SO many good points. I also can't believe they had Mr. Elliot undercut the suspense of his own plot by revealing his scheme straight out like Dr. Doofenschmirtz. A sequel purely about the rabbit, however, would be very interesting. 😂

[@BlatantlyBookish]

Yea, the Mr. Elliot plotline really fizzled out there. I really think the rabbit had more chemistry with Anne than Wentworth did. I'd watch that sequel. 😂

[@vvitchofthevvoods]

2007's Anne Elliot did look at the camera from time to time, when she was alone, writing in her diary. You can actually feel as her confident there, without the second hand embarrassment that's increidibly unavoidable in this new movie.

[@redstar7292]

This worked quite well, as you got an insight into her inner thoughts, her pain & turmoil, then finally at the end when they get together, she says nothing but just looks up and smiles. I though the sloppy teary kiss after the messy bath marathon run was a bit overdone. Although it was satisfying to get her accepting the proposal.

[@wendyvancamp1738]

As much as I love the 2007 adaptation...I can't watch the Anne/Wentworth kiss at the end. I think it is the most horrible movie kiss of all time. It almost killed the movie for me. I have watched this 2022 adaptation and felt my jaw drop many times at the strange dialog and poorly drawn characters. I did watch it...but once will be enough. 2022 goes to the bottom of the list for Persuasion movies...even worse than the 1970s one.

[@Jen-lg4hp]

I can't STAND it when actors look directly at the camera in some pretentious attempt to garner audience sympathy! If they are good actors with a good script, the audience will automatically FEEL empathy for them without the director having to resort to cheap tactics like that! The 2007 movie was lessened by that and also the fact that Anne was a little too beaten down without her inner intelligence and confidence being shown in the exquisite subtle way Amanda Root did it in the 1995 version.

[@vvitchofthevvoods]

@@Jen-lg4hp I don't think it was a cheap tactic at all in 2007's; during the whole movie you can observe how literally nobody, not even her own family, genuinely cares about Anne, except you. She's endures her pain with such solitude, and you are the only person that witness that. In the new movie, Anne is practically gossiping in the worst possible way about her family and everyone else with such entitlentess that hurts. It's the same resource, but with totally different purposes.

[@vvitchofthevvoods]

@@redstar7292 yeah the marathon was too long hahah just get it done already

[@fallenangelz291]

I have the 1995 version on my DVR, as well as a DVD. It is perfection. One viewing of the new attempt's trailer was enough for me to decide not to watch. It looked horrid, and all I could think in those few minutes was, "That is NOT Anne Elliott!" Thanks for doing the watching and for giving such a well-thought out review.

[@BlatantlyBookish]

Aw thank you. Yea, the 1995 version is my favorite, and now I can watch it whenever I want!

[@sosewregency5905]

I was the same. Watched the trailer - and immediately thought "Not watching". I watched the 1995 version on the weekend too!

[@jenlovesbooks]

I never thought I'd start buying DVD's again but I started last year and I've now got quite a good period drama collection. Does it bother me that I have 3 versions of Emma and 3 versions of Jane Eyre? Of course not, all the better to indulge myself with.

[@liv97497]

Also, does anyone else think it's very clear that they worked backwards? It seems to me they pulled ideas from other, better films, came up with things they wanted to put in the movie, chose the regency era after the wild success of Bridgerton and landed on Persuasion because Emma had been done too recently and P&P can't possibly be improved upon after the 2005 and the BBC series. They reworked the characters to fit *their* story, not the other way around.

[@MargaretPinard]

Sarah's Perusals made a similar point; I agree!

[@thegratefulliving6073]

It certainly seemed that way.

[@kevinrussell1144]

Yes, yes, and yes.

[@AJansenNL]

About the fourth wall: they have "Anne" carrying a rabbit around. Why didn't they use that as a tool to reveal her inner world?

[@MostlyCloudy]

THAT would have been smart.

[@007razia]

Totally agree. the rabbit was with her whenever she was introspecting.

[@AM-fs1je]

It was distracting i kept wondering "what's up with the rabbit?" I thought it would play into something by the end, but ...

[@jamesonstalanthasyu]

Was it a Matrix nod?

[@Greyforrest753]

And as an owner of 6 buns it made me so mad that she couldn't even hold it correctly. Poor bun must have been so scared. Animals are not props!!!!

[@elizabethbrink3761]

I watched the new Persuasion on Saturday night, and I totally agree with you. I think what makes me the most sad is the travesty of Anne's character. There are only flashes where she could be the Anne from the novel. It was a real missed opportunity to let a quiet, introspective, kind, dutiful, sensitive woman be a heroine in her own right.

[@BlatantlyBookish]

Yea, this was such a let down. I'm honestly tired of thinking and talking about it.

[@beatrixscudeler]

Completely agree that the dialogue is neither Regency nor modern, just awkward! Great review!!

[@BlatantlyBookish]

Thanks! The movie was such a mess lol

[@jamesonstalanthasyu]

Yeah, the Crofts were my favourite married couple in all of Jane Austen's novels. In fact. I would love to see fanfic of pre-Persuasion of the Crofts. They are so fun, and being a navy wife on board, I can't imagine how or what type of adventures they had. Though, I have seen some Maater and Commander fanfic that would have been like that with Jack & Stephen. 😀 Thank you for your review., I do agree that there was no quiet dignity at all. 😢 But of course I agree with you ... afterall, I am an empath. 😉

[@emily-sl6oq]

Lovely video as always! I completely agree with your review. The modern dialogue totally takes you out of the time period. The writers could've distilled/condescend the language for the adaptation to make it more speak-able without the contemporary cringeworthy vernacular. It's like the writers were trying to go for "Emma" and combining it with what the show "Dickinson" did, but it doesn't hold up at all and comes across tone-deaf. And they absolutely, fundamentally misunderstood Anne's character. It reminds me of what 2019's Little Women did to Jo's character. Anne is meant to be a modestly elegant classical musician with a cultured mind. An English Rose with hidden depths who doesn't know she's pretty. She doesn't regret not marrying Wentworth when she was younger, despite all the pain it brought her. She was involved in a heart-breaking love triangle. She's lost her mother, whom she took after the most. She's sweet, she's accomplished (but humble), and she's respected by those in her circle. She's obliviously (maybe even indifferently) beautiful, and her happiness makes her shine from the inside. Of her family (aside from her late mother), Anne's far more responsible and clear-headed than her father or sister, but she doesn't always have a witty comeback ready like Elizabeth Bennet nor is she sassy like Emma Woodhouse, and that's okay. She still has nerves of steel, like when Louisa falls, and Anne takes charge immediately. She's very caring, but she's not lively or spirited. Within the Regency Era, she's the proper "nice girl next door," but she's considered an old maid because of that one that got away. Anne has a beautiful mind and when she speaks, it's sensible and nice. But she's also a bit of a stoic. Anne thinks she has to appear strong to her friends and acquaintances, and as a result she often suffers serious emotional turmoil inside. She knows she's not her father's favorite because to her father, she is only Anne -- the unimportant second daughter who is not beautiful enough or vain enough, and who will never marry a suitable man. She's quiet, a bit of a white sheep, and yet we love her. This film completely misinterpreted Anne's character, and it doesn't seem to care.

[@leslieyudman3156]

I have been trying to figure out why I didn’t really like the new Persuasion since I watched it on release day. You’ve captured it exactly. I don’t mind modernization, but this just didn’t work. I agree 100% that this Anne Eliot bore no resemblance to the character in the novel. The drinking was so surprising to me, that the first time she grabbed a wine bottle, I think I audibly gasped! Anyway, thank you for sharing your insights. They were spot on.

[@spreadbookjoy]

I finally finished it - so painful. You hit the nail on the head about the strange characterisation. I also exclaimed out loud when Wentworth says she quietly endures. I also found Mr Elliot really creepy as well. Your analysis of this is spot on and I also started watching the 1995 version after the first half hour of the Netflix version. A travesty of a film!

[@BlatantlyBookish]

A travesty indeed! Your readalong though was fantastic! Thank you again for putting that together for everyone. 🥰

[@DebMcDonald]

Thanks for taking one for the team! The 1995 version is so good and I don’t think I want to see the new one. I’m surprised at Anne’s drinking in the movie because I don’t remember her drinking or eating anything in the book. Maybe a sup of tea once if that.

[@BlatantlyBookish]

I don't blame you if you don't wanna watch this one lol. 😂

[@trembletea]

I was pretty sure just from seeing the trailer, but you’ve settled it for me: I’m definitely “giving this a miss,” as the Brits say. Persuasion has become my favorite Austen as I’ve grown older, and I can’t have it sullied. :)

[@k.l.8804]

I've seen enough horror reviews of it I think I'll give it a miss too 🙄 Dont want my most cherished Austen story ruined. Once seen cant be unseen... I'll stick to the 2007 version, despite the sloppy kiss (Wentworth bend your head down!). Everything else captures the book for me ❤️❤️❤️

[@TheBookRefuge]

This was a wonderful analysis and you conveyed a lot of my feelings much better than I could. Painful, awkward, and lots of secondhand embarrassment is all I got out of this film.

[@BlatantlyBookish]

Agreed. It was such a disappointment.

[@jodihowe7274]

Terrific review. I am disappointed but not surprised after watching the trailer…..I do not plan to watch this adaptation……who can improve on Ciarán Hinds as Capt Wentworth? Thank you!

[@BlatantlyBookish]

Thanks. I don't blame you for not watching it.

[@k.l.8804]

The 2007 adaptation is my favourite ❤️ There they break the fourth wall too, but in a very good way. Its one of my absolute favourite movies ❤️❤️❤️

[@BlatantlyBookish]

The 2007 one is wonderful, but I think I still prefer the 1995 version.

[@LedgerAndLace]

THANKS for your review! The octopus line reminds me of that scene in Love Actually where Emma Thompson's daughter gets to be the "FIRST lobster" in the Nativity play. "There was more than one lobster at the birth of Jesus?" The thing I looked most forward to when I saw the trailer was the roasting/reviews from all avenues of Jane Austen fans. Claudia was HILARIOUS and I can't wait for the historical costumers to start their reviews!

[@BlatantlyBookish]

I kind of love the Love Actually comparison! Yea, this was just a hot mess that I'm tired of thinking about lol

[@rosamcdonald1221]

Thanks for watching this so I don't have to! Persuasion is my favorite Austen novel, Anne may be her most complex and interesting heroines. She is quiet, but intelligent and has lines that she will not cross.

[@BlatantlyBookish]

Hahah you're welcome. You're smarter than I for staying away from it.

[@LeeeeCRain]

Yes!! Exactly that! I think I yelled “yes!” while watch this video as much as I yelled “No!” during the movie!

[@BlatantlyBookish]

Thank you! What a wonderful compliment! ❤️

[@takingteawithcatherine]

It's like screenwriters watched the more recent Mansfield Park adaptations, and said 'see how they butchered Fanny Price? Hold my bunny!'

[@nicoleturner5808]

😂🤣😂🤣

[@sosewregency5905]

lol

[@MargaretPinard]

LOL

[@BlatantlyBookish]

🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂 This comment is gold!

[@Em-bv7oo]

I hated the breaking of the 4th Wall. I also think they completely missed the point, Anne was quiet, suffering alone, but sensible. What was all this gravy spilling and jam smearing? They made her a silly girl 😩

[@Hana9916]

I was willing to forgive this movie a lot, but that "Charles wanted to marry me first" scene was too awful to contemplate. I don't understand how Mary and Charles have to reaction to this insult & act like nothing happened.

[@Kathy_Loves_Physics]

That’s when I gave up on the film.

[@MostlyCloudy]

The Ann in the movie would never have been persuaded of anything obviously, which undermines the entire point of the movie.

[@coloraturaElise]

This is one of the 2 best reviews I've seen of the Netflix film.....thanks so much for sharing!

[@floraposteschild4184]

The director's "love of Austen" -- and -10 out of 10 understanding of it.

[@meghanthestorygirl4581]

Yes, yes and yes to everything! Well articulated and thoughtful as always. Even with my lowered expectations since the release of the trailer, I was disappointed with it. Telling and not showing, Anne's complete change of character, the terrible dialogue - all of it, I completely agree with you 👏 I did something similar to you. At the 20 minute mark, I turned it off (when Anne made her awful comment about Charles wanting her first), and then I rewatched the 2007 version 😂 The next day I managed to go back and finish the 2022 version. This was very cathartic watching your video 😆

[@BlatantlyBookish]

Yea if I wasn't so set on filming something I would have shut it off and never finished it.

[@SpinstersLibrary]

Loved this, a much more level-headed and nuanced analysis than I was capable of after watching 😅 I enjoyed your articulate rage so much. I agree with you on Lady Russell and on the Crofts. Like you, I really like the Crofts, and apart from being such a wonderful couple, they also carry a lot of the humour in the book, and there were so many missed opportunities there in the adaptation. Replacing the wit and cleverness of these side characters with flat, lazy awkward-clumsy-girl humour just doesn't work. I did think Mary was the only exception to that, she was a great adaptation of the book characters, and the actress carried every scene she was in. Anne was such a mess of a character. The way she acted just didn't make sense with how the other characters reacted, like the Wentworth line you mentioned, calling her dignified etc. I didn't have a problem with the drinking as such, beyond the cringe-factor of making Anne Elliot the type of millennial who has a "it's wine o'clock" sign hanging in her kitchen. Your review made me wish for a really well-made, properly modernised Persuasion adaptation a la Clueless or Fire Island. There are so many ways you could transfer this story into the modern age. Also. Marissa, I consider you a friend, but just know that I will never forgive you for quoting the octopus line in full.

[@sarahmcconkie5038]

Lol articulate rage. So true hahaha

[@BlatantlyBookish]

Haha I took out all my rage commenting in real time with you and Katie, and others too lol. Honestly, I think Mary's interpretation would have seemed more successful to me had everything else been done better. Hopefully the octopus quote didn't do any permanent damage to our friendship lol 😂

[@clairewillow6475]

I think you hit the nail on the head with the Bridget jones comparison. For example, when Anne (Dakota) blurts our at the dinner party that her sisters husband wanted to marry her first. It’s so awkward!!!

[@tezzag818]

It appears that the only way to enjoy this movie is not to have known the book Persuasion at all.

[@BlatantlyBookish]

Even some people who aren't familiar with the book think it's a flop.

[@bernardperron9798]

Your openness to giving this movie a chance, despite your reservations about it, going in; your... "wishing it well," beforehand, is heartwarming, speaks of a kind spirit, a mature benevolence. Sorry if that sounds condescending. But it's always refreshing to see such an attitude, of course, so I wanted to underscore it, if only for myself. Have you seen Andrea Arnold's "Wuthering Heights"? I've seen most of the movie adaptations of this novel, and this one is the best, for my money, by far, in fact -- it's WONderful. It came out in 2011. I mention it (too), after listening to your comments about "Persuasion", because it has a Black Heathcliff in it. (And thanks for tipping me off about "Fire Island"; I'd never heard of it.)

[@miraino15]

I watch a lot of these type of videos. I love the way you organized and presented the information. You know your stuff.

[@BlatantlyBookish]

Thank you!

[@AM-fs1je]

I couldn't even recognize the characters. At first it was just tedious, but became increasingly horrifying. One reviewer called it "strangely perverse." My reactions were: wtf. WTF. WTF! WTF!!!

[@BlatantlyBookish]

My original reactions were much the same. This review took a while to formulate because my initial reactions were so aggressive and ranty

[@ahouseoffigs]

The dialogue was something between a "my life is awkward" post circa 2010 & a Trey Kennedy video.

[@BlatantlyBookish]

🤣

[@MargaretPinard]

Yes! Strange that they had Lady Russell apologize and admit wrongdoing in this version. So much erasure that I missed... :/but beautifully filmed locations, agree!

[@glendaslanina9939]

You summed it perfectly with this excellent analysis. As I was watching it, I just kept thinking that this wonderful book deserved a much better adaptation. I will rewatch it, painful as it will be, just to review some of the points you made. Thank you.

[@leas4699]

I couldn’t agree with you more. Made me want to get out my dvd of Persuasion. That kiss at the end is amazing 🤩

[@ysabelnavarro22]

Watched five minutes of the movie and had to turn it off. I did watch your video until the end. Much better way to spend my time. Thank you for this video.

[@BlatantlyBookish]

Thank you! I almost shut the movie off when you did.

[@rebeccanelson8757]

Thank you! It’s been so frustrating to be told that Jane Austen fans are too rigid to accept a playful modern take on her fiction. It’s not that! The movie works when it’s couching Mary’s hypochondria in modern terms, for example, because it’s closely observed and authentic (“I’m an empath”).

[@ArtBookshelfOdyssey]

Yes exactly! I can handle changes, I can even hand updates/modern takes on adaptations... what I couldn't handle was the complete and utter disregard of a fantastic, powerful and strong Austen heroine and turning her into a hot mess borderline alcoholic socially inept character from a completely different book.

[@BlatantlyBookish]

Nah, Austen fans like playful modern takes when they show respect to the original. I actually think that if the rest of the movie were different, Mary's character could have been interesting and well done.

[@loganfrost2002]

I loved the Netflix Persuasion and it showed that there can be different ways to show shy and quiet characters and to show Anne’s inner feelings and to show the theme of unrequited and second chance relationships.

[@fredemny3304]

Oh dear! I think you need to seek help Logan.

[@WhatExcellentBoiledPo-ta-toes]

Umm she didn't act shy or quiet though 🤦🏻‍♀️ She was a pathetic, judgemental, drunk, jerk who looked down on everyone and blurted out inappropriate things that would humiliate her family. Anne was supposed to be gentle, sensible and capable 😅 Such a disappointment.

[@nimblewimble]

What a perfectly articulated review. Kudos! 👏

[@BlatantlyBookish]

Thank you!

[@gisawslonim9716]

Ann observing her family and others and commenting is in the novel...we follow Ann as she goes about her duties in the home and at her sister's and we know preceisely what she is thinking and how she will react in any given situation...there is no need for further explanations. WE are NOT dealing with an authoress writing her first romantic novel about the world after all, this is Jane Austen and if SHE can't write a character how she wants him or her to be then nobody can!

[@jangold6787]

Agree with you on every point. Good review! Cringeworthy, no chemistry and flat characters. Such a disappointment.

[@BlatantlyBookish]

Thanks. I just wish it wasn't such a disappointment.

[@mudgetheexpendable]

Your points about Lady Russell's alteration being particularly bothersome crystallized my incoherent "just *no*" response.

[@cheried7514]

In the book, Anne was so altered, Wentworth could hardly recognize her. The makers of this film made no effort to show her slow transformation from wan and withdrawn to animation, which drew Wentworth's eye and appreciation, as well as her level head. I was also enraged about the nephew beating on Anne with a stick out in the forest. Why was Wentworth there to pull him off? In the book the child was hanging on her neck and wouldn't let go in the family home while Wentworth was visiting. Two other changes that made no sense to me. Very good review! Oh! After shouting "Frederick" and ducking down, she spilled gravy from a gravy boat over her head.

[@hilariousname6826]

I have not seen, and have no intention of seeing, this movie - but I'm watching all the youtube reviews, and finding them entertaining and immensely satisfying. Am I the only one? Btw: anyone who doesn't get the eminently high value Austen puts on dignity, self-control, and self-respect, doesn't get Austen.

[@thegratefulliving6073]

Your analysis was excellent, and I agree with you 99%. This went too far off the intended beaten path in so many ways it was almost painful. As for Wentworth, i may be the only one who liked him. I don't blame him for the words that were put in his mouth by the writers (that are not Jane Austen). He may not have shown as much anger/dismay as previous Wentworths after the Elliot heir attempted to convey Anne was his, but I could still feel his great disappointment of the situation. Some have said he looked too tortured throughout. I would call them looks of yearning. It was his expressions true love for Anne when they finally reunited that sold me, his gentle and loving treatment of Anne at the very end that made me a "lost woman."

[@MargaretPinard]

So well said, Marissa! Ah well, at least I still have both 1995 and 2007 versions at home :)

[@wandamercer6964]

Also Trollope’s Sense and Sensibility.

[@lizh9497]

I haven’t watched it yet. I’m re-reading the book first. I don’t want the movie to influence my reading, I’d rather the book influenced my viewing. I watched to 2007 (?) adaptation recently and enjoyed that. I will still watch the Netflix movie because I’m curious but after watching you, Spinster’s Library and Middle of the Book March talk about it I have extremely low expectations.

[@BlatantlyBookish]

Re-reading the book first is always a good idea! The 2007 version is good, but the 1995 is my favorite Persuasion adaptation. I understand the need to watch something out of curiosity. Honestly, I don't think my review conveyed just how bad it was lol.

[@lizh9497]

@@BlatantlyBookish oh dear 😂🤦‍♀️

[@filmfangirls9163]

Spot on. I couldn't agree more with what you said.

[@capla374]

Good review - I wanted to but couldn’t enjoy this version of the story for the reasons you stated. I did watch the 1995 version right after to contemplate a better movie.

[@BlatantlyBookish]

I hope you enjoyed the 1995 version!

[@novellenovels]

I’m not going to watch it now. A few other friends didn’t like it. I loved the latest Emma 😊

[@BlatantlyBookish]

Aw and here I wanted to hear you rant about it lol! No, it's totally fine if you don't want to watch it. It was clearly quite flawed. Honestly, if I wasn't so set on discussing it I would have stopped watching it in under 30 mins.

[@ArtBookshelfOdyssey]

Great review! I enjoyed the things you mentioned - and personally I don't mind changes when it comes adaptations. In fact, I expect them and usually look forward to seeing what they changed, and why, and if it worked etc. But I found this to be kind of a Frankenstein type of movie. They took bits and pieces of all these things and smooshed them together. It didn't work for me. But I have been able to talk to some who actually liked it and had some interesting reasons why. Thank you for a thoughtful review of the movie!

[@BlatantlyBookish]

Thank you! I love the idea of this as a Frankenstein type movie. I think maybe that's what didn't work the most. It didn't feel like a cohesive vision.

[@maryhamric]

This version is so awful. 2007's did a mild breaking of the fourth wall by her looking into the camera. I thought that was very effective as it does create a connection to her. This, however? I can't say enough bad things about this version. It's so sick that they drown her in wine. All this director wanted was a rom com in terrible costumes and awful dialogue. You are so right that this is out of time and space. I am skeptical that the director was actually a Janeite. I think she said that to lend legitimacy to her adaptation because her actions do not reflect any respect of Austen.

[@ThatNerdyMystic]

I had JUST watched the version of Pride and Prejudice with Kiera Knightly (wonderful) and then watched this version of Persuasion.... I was not impressed. Everything in this review rings true.

[@athena9767]

I literally watched 10mins of it and said "NOPE, not my movie!".. it was the accent for me..it was horrible!!!

[@BlatantlyBookish]

I almost did the same, but I felt a strange need to power through and film this.

[@007razia]

Thank you for a great review. Just finished watching it. Agree with most of what you said. It just didn’t hold my attention. I’ve watched all the other versions and enjoyed them . But this one was a disappointment. And I cringed every time she talked straight at the audience. Persuasion is my most favourite of Austin’s works. Now I have to reread the original to “cleanse my palate”.

[@BlatantlyBookish]

I hope your reread went well! Nothing comes close to the original Austen anyway.

[@asdabir]

The only good thing to come out of this debacle is that you made this video and I became aware that something like “Fire island” exists. Always love different takes of P&P and this is something I have never seen before safe to say.

[@BlatantlyBookish]

Yay! I hope you enjoy Fire Island. I thought it was a great movie and a really interesting take on P&P.

[@asdabir]

@@BlatantlyBookishupdate: I loved it! They got most characters pretty close considering the challenge in transporting it to such a different setup. Thanks for the recommendation!

[@katietimoney6405]

I bought the 1995 version too. So beautiful

[@ClassicsCats]

I can't even bring myself to watch the new adaptation. .. so disappointing!!!

[@BlatantlyBookish]

Yea, I don't blame you. I was surprised I was able to make it until the end.

[@logann-mackenziefroste563]

I watched it and I don’t know why people don’t like it. I loved it. I also read the book a while ago and I still agree that it was an awesome film adaptation. I was finally able to visualise the characters and to really understand what the book was about. So maybe my ADHD and dyslexia makes reading books a bit more challenging for me. I still loved the film.

[@dialazaayter5439]

I like how you’re smiling while saying disaster😂

[@GinaHouse]

I totally agree with you about this movie! It was difficult for me to even finish watching this movie. The tone of the movie was much lighter and more frivolous than I imagined it would be. The modern phrases that some of the characters spoke in this adaptation such as "self-care", etc. surprised and annoyed me. Seeing Anne's character speak to the camera in such a sarcastic and flirty way seemed to be completely out of character. I also don't remember Anne drinking so much wine (and the bunny??) in Jane Austen's novel, either. This movie frustrated me sooo much. This is one of the worst Jane Austen adaptations that I've ever watched, even though it was beautiful. Luckily, I really enjoyed watching the BBC 2008 Emma and Sense & Sensibility movies this month and even the 1980s version of Mansfield Park. These movies totally made up for watching this movie. Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts!!

[@BlatantlyBookish]

Yea, in all honesty, I was going to shut the movie off before the 30 minute mark, but I wanted to make a video. To say this was a disappointment is an understatement. I liked the bunny though.... Anne had more chemistry with the bunny than with Wentworth lol. 🤣

[@narabdela]

One of the greatest novels in English Literature reduced to an absolute train-wreck of a movie. Just horrible on so many levels. ☹

[@bethanyhager7475]

COMPLETELY agree with all you said!

[@lauramathews3151]

I have solved it!!!! Play the film on mute and the soundtrack concurrently, and just remove all of the dialogue hahaha

[@BlatantlyBookish]

Not a bad idea.

[@MargaretPinard]

Yes--like Emma's opinions! See my answer to another commenter below for perhaps why....

[@ElliesCozyChronicles]

I really appreciate this video. Thanks! I also thought the same things you said in your introduction and thought it could be possible for me to enjoy the movie. After approximately 20 min, I was very dissapointed. I think one of the worst things is how the letter scene was made, the acting and all that had to do with this scene didn't made me feel anything, it didn't feel real!

[@BlatantlyBookish]

Yea, I didn't even feel like delving into the letter scene. I actually had forgotten about it because it was so underwhelming.

[@ElliesCozyChronicles]

@@BlatantlyBookish Very underwhelming.😪 It was very rushed. I thought at least that scene would be like in the book and depict the tension that led to this event.

[@davebonello1944]

(Melanie here) So well said! It just felt flat and empty.

[@BlatantlyBookish]

flat, empty, and full of disappointments indeed.

[@Zangerstein]

I actually find Romcoms of the 2000s as good and on point! Romcoms of the 2015 onwards though? Cringe and eye roll galore. 😂 Though, I think most of these are young adult movies - maybe that’s what they’re catering to? (This eliminates any profoundness though…)

[@BlatantlyBookish]

Idk when I'm in a certain mood I watch a lot of cheesy romcoms (2000s and 2015 and onward). Forget Jane Austen, this movie was bad even by cheesy rom com standards.

[@Zangerstein]

@@BlatantlyBookish That’s bad. There are a lot of cheesy romcoms made that are done very well and even original in terms of ideas.

[@aliiciia555]

The awkward moment when instead of Anne and Wenthworth, you ship Anne and Mr. Elliot because this movie made you feel like the heroine and villain are a better match. (Scream)

[@skadi713]

Great points!

[@lori3056]

Very well stated. I agree with everything you said. This movie was a train wreck and disappointment from start to finish.

[@sarahmcconkie5038]

YES to everything you said. Anne's character was just awful. Persuasion is one of my all-time favorite novels, full-stop, so, like you, I had low expectations from the trailer alone. But wow. I was floored by how the movie was even worse than I'd expected. I'm taking it a step further and reading the actual book as a palate cleanser now lol. I need something potent to rinse all the nonsense about being a 10 in Bath out of my brain...

[@BlatantlyBookish]

Yea, I admit it was worse than I ever imagined it would be.

[@claireconolly8355]

Brilliant review thank you :-) if you switch your brain off whilst watching the movie it's quite ok hehe... but all your observations are spot on.

[@BlatantlyBookish]

Hehehe thanks!

[@emsbarrett]

Where are you from blantaly bookish ?

[@myecochoice2872]

I totally agree with you. It’s so bad i’m lost for words. /Anna

[@BlatantlyBookish]

Thanks...it's really a travesty.

[@liv97497]

The thing about the 4th wall I didn't like is that it felt amateurish. Having a character speak directly to the audience isn't the only way to clearly convey their thoughts and feelings. Emma 2020 did it well with facial expressions and small moments which were very funny, and even in P&P there's lots of observant, critical, humorous moments, but the actors don't need to say lines for us to understand what they're thinking (I'm specifically thinking of Mr. Bennet, Caroline Bingley, and any time Mr. Collins is onscreen) and it can even be done in a more melancholy, quieter film. Jane Eyre 2011 is very moody and introspective, but you nearly always know what emotion is supposedly being portrayed.

[@BlatantlyBookish]

Yea, sometimes breaking the 4th wall works and sometimes it really doesn't. There are definitely other ways to convey a character's interiority.

[@L.Spencer]

But where does this leave us? Will we ever get another Persuasion version, or will they be scared off from trying due to all the negative hype about this.

[@BlatantlyBookish]

Hopefully there will be a wildly successful Persuasion adapatation when the dust from this travesty settles.

[@leas4699]

Please review the dvd of persuasion after you watch it. Thanks.

[@BlatantlyBookish]

I think I can only manage one Persuasion review per Jane Austen July lol

[@damagehurdle]

I hate the movie so much!!! There are modernizations that work like (i.e. 10 Things I Hate About You or Emma. (2020)). You said it best when you said that this lacks the spirit and essence of the book. Adaptions for me don’t have to be word for word. The essence has to be there when works are adapted and this movie lacks that completely.

[@BlatantlyBookish]

Absolutely!!

[@sarahmcdonough7713]

like many austen fans ive taken in plenty of content about this movie by now, but this is the first time ive heard that the director is an austen fan herself.. and tbh i find that shocking. i cant imagine loving austen and persuasion and anne elliot and then making this movie. every second of it seemed to me to scream from the rooftops that it was just a hasty corporate attempt to capitalise on the popularity of emma 2020 and bridgerton while they still can, so i basically assumed that no one that cared for persuasion was involved creatively at all.....

[@BlatantlyBookish]

Yea.... I really only watched it after the horrendous trailer because apparently the director is an Austen fan. I have trouble reconciling that fact with the movie as well. I simply can't wrap my head around it.

[@wotchertonks7]

This should have been Pride and Prejudice. Or Sense and Sensibility. I could see this character and the style it was filmed could work as Lizzie Bennett, or Eleanor Dashwood, but it was all wrong for Anne Elliott. Any other Jane Austen novel. But this cut nearly everything that made it Persuasion.

[@BlatantlyBookish]

Well, I guess I'm glad it worked for someone. I highly recommend a reread of Persuasion.

[@GinaStanyerBooks]

Great review.

[@cherylcurtis3301]

I couldn’t even finish the movie 😞So disappointed. I look for authenticity of the book source and the period. That’s why I have issues with Bridgeston but it doesn’t stop me from watching the series

[@BlatantlyBookish]

Yea... I think the best adjective for this movie would be disappointing.

[@dianaroch9758]

I agree with you

[@larrybowe774]

One of the best Austen characters in print, Anne Elliot has been destroyed in this film. The entire essence of Persuasion is her character -as clearly enunciation in the book- to attempt to rewrite that looses me from or the start and while I watched the film I came away annoyed and mad at the world for this trend of revisionism in all its forms, I regretted watching it. All I could say was: WHY? …Just look at the great examples which thankfully we have: The 2013 BBC television film adaptation directed by Adrian Shergold, with Sally Hawkins as Anne was wonderful and she captured 100% the essence of the character and what I feel Austen intended should she have imagined a dramatization. Also terrific is the one (don’t recall the year!) with Ciarán Hinds, and the wonderful Amanda Root as Anne; again Ms. Root captured the Anne’s character to perfection. This production is laughable and unworthy to have any inference to the original work!

[@BlatantlyBookish]

Yea... I don't think I'll be watching this one again. The 1995 version you mentioned with Ciarán Hinds and Amanda Root is definitely my favorite. The 2013 version is great too of course. This... I don't like to think of this in the same category.

[@mirusia5340]

After watching the trailer, I decided not to watch it. I believe I would get much more pleasure re-reading the Pride and Prejudice spin-off #WickhamsSecondAttempt

[@tanjaradjenovic2543]

There is no comparison between Jane Austen novels and Bridgerton. Anything Austen is classic masterpiece, Bridgerton is modern boddice ripper. With Bridgerton you can experiment because it doesn't really matter but with Austen you have to wear white silk gloves when handling.

[@redstar7292]

I agree, there are plenty of other authors that lend themselves to fantasy Regency Romances, Georgette Heyer (she might be a bit to good though), I am sure Barbara Cartland wrote a few Romances, in the Georgian era, Mills & Boon..

[@Danusha_Goska]

you're beautiful ... and smart and articulate

[@Bamgeutcutiepie]

but... i have not read the book... and even I could not understand it. the choices behind HOW they told the story. Now i stink at names... so sorry. But the black guy who is in mourning, was basically only in the movie to get with the friend so anne could get with the main dude. but we never SEE them fall in love. we just hear it in voiceover. that's so dumb. let us see ONE scene with them..... we hear about this charming man before he shows up. (the main dude) But the casting on him was bad. He had no charm. he seemed weird. stiff. i don't know WHY anyone would want him. lol they had no chemistry. ? when she read the letter to US looking in the camera in the end, it didn't hit me at all. her running to him, had no effect on me. The song by birdy saved the scene. but that's kind of manipulating out feelings using a good song. i don't think they showed WHY they should even get together. i didn't like the choice of breaking the fourth wall. it took me out of it. i didn't think any humor landed. that's it.

[@BlatantlyBookish]

I'm glad to hear you don't have to have read the book to realize what a trainwreck this was! 😊

[@dialazaayter5439]

100% this movie is a disappointment

[@gisawslonim9716]

The inclusion of characters of color may be attractive to us but it is historically incorrect and should not be attempted.

[@stanbrown32]

I think works like Charles Dickens that showed a broad range of English social classes--from country squires to country town tradesmen to London poor and the criminal underworld--could more naturally feature diverse casting. But Jane Austen's focus on landholding genteel families makes such attempts artificial amd ahistorical.

[@Greenwillow]

Well said. It looks ridiculous.

[@kevinrussell1144]

I listened to your entire video and think you've been very fair in your judgements, may be even too fair. You stated all the ways you didn't like it, and why it's mostly a failure. Thank you for your in depth discussion. I have seen some trailers but not the movie, and will NOT watch (your review helps in this easy decision). I don't want to encourage Carey to take another Crack at these novels after seeing how badly she dropped the ball on Persuasion. I'm guessing (I don't know, of course) that she wanted to break some unwritten "rules" for how one adapts period-timed Austen, and I don't just mean the color-intentioned casting. Everybody knows that if you translate the bare-bones plot of an Austen novel into another time you have more discretion for how you present your characters; you can modernize the moral compass as well as the aesthetic and the language. Bridgerton (the adaptation) stretched the bounds even more. Carey decided to try to have things all ways, while keeping tongue in cheek, yet also attempting in not so subtle ways to make 2022 PC social commentary with (sort-of) Regency costumes. We don't get the Anne Elliot of the book (at all), the moral underpinnings of Persuasion are NOT present, there is nothing really likeable about this 2022 Anne (other than that she is pretty), and Wentworth has the character of a beta-grade dishrag. The characters of those being played by people of color also receive (I'm trying to convince myself this may be accidental, but I don't believe it) different treatment from those played by white actors. The latter are all stupid, venal, whiney, boring, clueless, or stupidly corrupt (I'm thinking of Mrs. Clay here). The Musgroves 2022 are all better than the book characters they played and are uniformly presented in favorable light. The same can be said for Lady Russell and Wm. Elliot. The latter, in the book, is a villain, but most of those traits seem to be suppressed here (I assume because you just don't treat a "10" that way). Lady Russell is presented as a girlfriend who regrets and now "gets Anne", but also someone up for dirty excursions to the continent for some well-deserved and approved ash hauling. My final take is that I wish Carey and those of similar mindset would look to other material to modernize. I'm offended by what she has done to Jane Austen, and to no good purpose that I can see. With the cast she had and the skill of the production people, she ought to have come up with a much better final work. She CLAIMS she loves and understands Jane Austen, but a true Austen fan will have a hard time believing that with Persuasion 2022 floating in the punch bowl.

[@BlatantlyBookish]

It's a smart decision on your part to not watch this one. I have a lot of trouble reconciling Carey's supposed love of Austen with the work she has created.

[@kevinrussell1144]

@@BlatantlyBookish You're so sweet and forgiving. My father would admire you for never (seemingly) saying a mean thing about anyone. Sadly, that was one lesson I never took to heart. I'm too much like my Scotch-German grandmother. Thanks for replying, and for all the good content you produce.

[@dorylee]

This is a great disrespect to the character of Jane Austen.

[@BlatantlyBookish]

Indeed.

[@catherinekhalili4412]

Definitely not watching it

[@BlatantlyBookish]

Smart. I almost stopped watchign it before the 30 minute mark, but forced myself to film this instead lol.

[@karenmorales752]

I'll tell you what this was! A waste of time.

[@BlatantlyBookish]

The movie rather than my review I hope.

[@carrollwilliams8861]

Too much diversity.

[@BlatantlyBookish]

And yet some of the comments on here say not enough...

[@Serras23]

Im glad I haven’t read the book yet because then I would have been one of the book gatekeepers like in these comments. I think the movie was entertaining, funny, charming, and had me crying

[@xXbubbelXx]

What gatekeeping are you talking about? 😂

[@TRUTHseeker-101]

So you could see chemistry that most everyone that watched it, didn’t? My main beef with it was the casting of Wentworth… it should have been Henry Goulding.

[@BlatantlyBookish]

Well, I'm glad someone enjoyed it even if I didn't.

[@BlatantlyBookish]

Yea, but I don't even think casting Henry Goulding as Wentworth could have redeemed this film.

[@TRUTHseeker-101]

@@BlatantlyBookish 💯