It is finally the weekend that many of us have been waiting for- Netflix’s Persuasion will finally be on our small screens. (Or computer screens…) We do get Austen adaptations fairly regularly, but they tend to rotate through periodically. The last major Persuasion adaptation was released in 2008, so fans of the novel have been waiting for some time. We knew from the trailer that this was going to be a different sort of Persuasion than we are used to, but I knew that I had to watch it for myself. So, after months of waiting, I have my Netflix Persuasion review for you!
What is Persuasion?
If you aren’t familiar, Persuasion is Jane Austen’s last finished novel. It is the second of her Bath novels, and follows Anne Elliot:
Anne Elliot, at the age of nineteen, falls in love with Frederick Wentworth, a young man with no connections and only himself to recommend him. Persuaded by her great friend Lady Russell to break off their engagement Anne has ample opportunity to regret her decision.
Some years later, her father Sir Walter Elliot finds himself financially embarrassed and is forced to let the family home, Kellynch-hall. The new tenants prove to be Admiral and Mrs Croft, brother-in-law and sister to Wentworth, who has prospered and is now a captain. Although he and Anne are thrown into each other’s company he still feels bitterness at her rejection. He becomes entangled with Louisa Musgrove while Anne receives the attentions of William Elliot, her cousin. Once again it seems as though happiness is about to elude them…
Persuasion, Jane Austen’s last finished novel, is a brilliant satire and evocation of polite society, full of sharp perceptions on people and personal relations, especially love, and a celebration of the finer values in life.
My Thoughts Before Watching Persuasion
I don’t tend to be a novel purist- I am all for creative adaptations. While many disagree, I’m happy for writers and actors to make a novel their own. However, from the trailer (see below) and the reviews I’ve read, this film doesn’t seem to actually be based on Persuasion.
Persuasion is a very particular Austen novel; it is quite melancholic and contemplative in a way that her other novels are not. When the #AnHistorianReads Book Club read it last summer, I was shocked at how heart-wrenching it is. This adaptation appears to largely be a comedy, though. I am a big fan of comedy- Northanger Abbey remains my favourite novel! Why they couldn’t have done a Northanger remake that is ripe for comedy, I will never know. In any case, I hope to be proven wrong on the 15th!
There has been a discussion on racism in the Jane Austen fandom, and it has been a serious issue for some time. I will admit, I haven’t witnessed it this time only because I’m not in many Austen communities and I’ve avoided reading much on the film. However, it is absolutely present in the Austen world, and cannot be ignored. We saw it with Bridgerton and I suspect with see it with Mr. Malcolm’s List, too. The idea that Austen films and series must remain entirely white under the guise of historical accuracy is awful and destructive. I don’t know that any of my readers engage in that, but please challenge that.
If you haven’t, I would recommend watching the trailer below before diving in for an idea of what to expect.
My Netflix Persuasion Review
To begin: if you are a die-hard fan of Jane Austen’s Persuasion in the original form, I would give this movie a pass. It will grate on you in about 403 different ways, and life is too short to watch things you know you will hate. Grab your own favourite adaption and watch that instead!
Now, if you aren’t a purist, things may not be as dire for you. It is not the worst movie ever made, if you can put the source material aside. The original novel is earnest and heartfelt and melancholic. This film is humorous and lighthearted and a touch chaotic. I would not call the book a rom-com, but this movie certainly is. And if you have tempered expectations, it might work well for you!
There is a lot of breaking the fourth wall, which feels a bit like an episode of The Office or Parks and Rec. And there is a weird amount of sexual innuendos for an Austen project. Anne has a rabbit for some reason throughout, and appears to be an alcoholic. (From what I’ve read, she is somewhat of an homage to Fleabag, which I haven’t watched yet…)
I don’t hate Dakota Johnson in this, but also don’t love this performance. I will chalk a lot of it up to the script and directing, but this is a very particular Anne. Cosmo Jarvis is a fantastic Wentworth though, and I think might be one of my favourite Wentworth’s on screen. He definitely feels like the Wentworth we know from the novel but also takes the changes and updates in stride.
Izuka Hoyle as Henrietta Musgrove is one of my favourites in the film. Not only is her Henrietta kind and approachable and still entertaining, she was also the original Katherine Parr in Six the Musical! (Yes, she is the Katherine Parr on the studio recording.) And her on-screen sister, Nia Towle as Louisa Musgrove, also steals every scene she is in with great skill. And Henry Golding is highly diverting as a “period f**kboy” as he put it himself.
If you were open to the flexible Regency period portrayed in Bridgerton, or are happy with creative adaptations in general, I would say you should watch it! It’s fun and hilarious in an awkward way. I don’t know that I will be rewatching it often, but I have no regrets in watching it! Again, though- diehard Persuasion fans, this really is not the film for you.
Do you agree with my Netflix Persuasion review?
Cheers,
The Historian
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