Adapted from what is arguably Jane Austen's most mature and subtlest novel, Persuasion is somewhat more nuanced and restrained than the more frequently adapted Emma and Pride and Prejudice. The protagonist, Anne (Amanda Root), is, by the conventions of society, considered an old maid when she remains unmarried at 27. However, a second chance arrives when her former love, Captain Wentworth (Ciaran Hinds), returns from the Napoleonic Wars. The pair, who hardly speak throughout, are surrounded by
the usual assortment of family members, friends, acquaintances, and distant relations, many of them what pass for stock characters in Austen novels. There's the social-climbing parent, the dour upper aristocrat, the scatterbrained younger relatives, and, of course, the apparently suitable suitor who turns out to be all wrong. Of course, Austen's protagonists are never dumb, but Anne, being somewhat older, is also a good deal wiser, and the characters around her accordingly take on greater dimension and subtlety. Naturally, this being an Austen story, all ends well, but the path is somewhat less straightforward than in other films adapted from her work. ~ Genevieve Williams, Rovi
The film offers the same pleasures as an Austen novel, as the audience sinks into a comforting, orderly world where life-shattering disruptions are handled with elegant ease.
Michell's approach to Persuasion indicates that he is the rarest of literary translators -- one who is genuinely interested in a work's themes, its characters and what the author has to say about the world in which they exist.
Much of the movie's emotional work has to be done by...faces and eyes, while other people speak of other things, and to see that happening is frustrating, because it happens so slowly, and romantic, because it happens at all.
Apart from some minor audio problems, Persuasion is a truly enjoyable film that captures the time period in an amusing, revealing manner and is educational for all ages.
As gloriously romantic as it is giddily hilarious, Persuasion gives you a ruefully knowing smile as it sides with the wise heart. You leave the theater feeling better about everything.
Roger Michell's movie captures [Jane Austen's] insight into social hypocrisies and elegant sense of irony, with precisely understated performances and a subtle, witty script.
this movie affirms why i love jane austen so much. every little piece of information is an exceptionally juicy piece of gossip. marriage proposals are quickly offered and accepted/rejected. one can dwell on a rejection for many years and never get over it. because the time periods restricts and frowns upon blatant
displays of affection, feelings of love must be identified with subtle nuances, such as a look, a word, or a letter. this movie is exceedingly romantic and i lived vicariously through anne. i felt the little heartaches she went through as wentworth callously ignored her. i felt the little jolt of shock as she discovered mr. elliot's true intentions. and my heart caught in my throat as she read the all-revealing letter from wentworth. this movie is a beautiful work of art that both pokes fun at the pretensions of nobility and also contains one of the most heartbreakingly beautiful love stories of all time. (my one complaint: all the characters are not very attractive. i thought mr. elliot was the only decently goodlooking person in the entire movie. anne's sisters were also quite pretty, but i quite disliked them so they don't matter.)
The romance in this film could never be equaled. Anne and Wentworth are characters that are not to be forgotten in this amazing adaptation of the Jane Austen novel of the same name.
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