*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“I almost got married once…”

Persuasion released on July 15th 2022 and is available to stream on Netflix. The Jane Austen adaptation film stars Dakota Johnson, Cosmo Jarvis, Henry Golding, Mia McKenna-Bruce, and Nikki Amuka-Bird. It runs for approximately an hour and forty-nine minutes.

After turning down a proposal from the love of her life, Anne is more than shocked when he returns years later.

Here is the trailer:

Persuasion attempts to bring a modern twist to Jane Austen’s classic, but does it do enough to earn a watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Beautiful cinematography.

This film was gorgeous to look at. The setting, the fashion, and the use of color really suited it well and channeled the time period. I almost felt like I was stepping right into a watercolor painting. It was breathtakingly beautiful.

Images courtesy of Netflix

Dakota Johnson puts forth a valiant effort.

I thought she was absolutely charming as Anne and she saved this film in a lot of ways for me. She was quirky and fun to watch. I’ve been a fan of hers for a while and I thoroughly enjoyed her portrayal. In a lot of ways she had a Bridget Jones vibe going on and I think it worked in her favor to prevent this film from becoming too stale.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Netflix

The modernization of the dialogue was cringe-worthy at times…

Jane Austen has created some of the most beautiful strings of words ever. I love reading them and I love hearing them in the films and I was very disappointed when some of my favorite lines from the novel were completely distorted into empty phrases that were clearly meant to make the film seem more modern even though it was set during the original time period. This didn’t translate for me and honestly ruined some of my favorite moments from the book.

The chemistry also seemed off and awkward at times, but there were some redeeming moments here.

The film wasn’t that bad at all, but I would have enjoyed it a lot more if it would have honored some of the more memorable quotes from the novel for fans of the original novel. It would have felt more authentic and genuine. We don’t need to modernize everything…

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Netflix

I’m in about 75 percent…

This film had its moments and Dakota Johnson really shined in this role, but the modern take on Jane Austen’s novel didn’t translate that well at times. I’m still always up for a Jane Austen adaptation, but I was just hoping for a little more here.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Persuasion in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

THIS COMPETITION IS KILLER…

When former friends, Shay and Adriana team up to participate in a Halloween scavenger hunt with a cash prize, they temporarily put their differences aside to outsmart their opponents. However, they soon start to realize that a dangerous threat is playing their own version of the game, stalking them during each hunt.

Winning is now a necessity as their lives are at stake. As old wounds and memories re-surface, Shay and Adriana attempt to unmask the threat before the night is over, but soon learn that Scream Hunt is not done with them just yet…

My young adult horror thriller is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Scream Hunt is available here!

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