You don’t need to make Austen modern! She is! Her books are still relevant! Her characters with their weaknesses and strengths can easily live in our world! The reason why it is such a classic it’s because you can see yourself in Elizabeth, Jane, Ann or others. You can relate to them in 21 century.
Agreed. I hate this trend of modernizing everything, I feel like people should really be insulted by it since it encourages dumbfication, it's everything chewed out and spat in youngers folks mouth so they don't have the "trouble" to actually think about context and correlations
Modernity is not the appeal some think it is. I seek out classics to escape modernity. In the echoes of the past, glimpsed through the lens of the past, the modern viewer can see that which still rings true across the ages. Even in the antiquated language or seemingly silly customs foreign to us today, we can understand so much about human behavior. It is an exercise in relating to something outside your own realm of comfort or understanding. It's an anthropological crime to cast out such things as "too difficult" for modern audiences or to outright indict a culture for being foreign to your own sensibilities.
@@ohifonlyx33 100% Reading classic literature is my way of escaping the awfulness of modern life, and recognising the familiar characteristics we see around us in the people we know
It's like they've decided there's only one acceptable format of the main female character: "not like other girls", sardonic, a bit awkward, sassy etc. Which of course means that after watching 3 movies like that you're completely bored.
I agree. I feel like emma (2020) should have sparked more faithful austen adaptations, but.. i guess not. But i would also like to add that there is nothing inherently wrong with modernising classic austen. Clueless is proof of this. This Persuasion adaptation was a completely uninspired attempt. This is a bad movie first and foremost and secondarily a bad adaptation. "I dont trust a 10" and the rest of the god awfully written dialogue would be cringe in any movie.
I have watched it last night, and I have to say the acting of the main actress, the lack of chemistry between the leads, the complete 180 they have done with Anne’s character and disposition, made me cry. This is by far the worst and I dare say disrespectful adaptation from a Jane Austen novel I have ever seen. It shouldn’t even be called an adaption for that matter. It really broke my heart how they made Anne this self-absorbed and borderline alcoholic person when she is far from it. I can’t even begin to pin point the amount of things wrong with this movie. The only 3 good things were the soundtrack, the colours they chose for the movie and scenes and the Musgroves. That is literally it. I will cleanse my eyes today with the 1995 version.
@@blackbetty476 I was also in shock, but my anger was in greater number so “she” spoke first 😂! I still can’t believe they even thought this was okey to make and to release.
I think pride and prejudice would be a perfect Austen novel for Fleabag-ification, because the self-awareness and fourth wall breaking of the show serves the explicit purpose of underlining the *perspective* the main character- we are reminded time and time again that this is Fleabags warped and personal point of view through the medium itself. Pride and Prejudice is a novel about the limiting nature of one’s perspective, but I think we as a culture are burned out of pride and prejudice adaptations. Also, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again but the Lizzie Bennet Diaries were the PERFECT fleabag-ification of an Austen novel before fleabag ever existed and I will die on this hill.
I agree! If you want to modernize Jane Austen then learn from the Lizzie Bennet diaries or Emma approves. They're so good and are faithful to the themes and characters while bringing them into modern settings
Although the fourth-wall wouldn't fit there, I would love to see modernized version of Northanger Abbey. The book itself was intended by Austen as a satire/parody on gothic horror stories, it would work so well! The most recent Emma also worked because the book was quite comedic. On the other hand, stories like Persuasions or Sense and Sensibility cannot work in this format, because they deal with subtle, delicate emotions.
He looked like he didn't care when Anne was in the room. There was no feeling of agony or hope. There was just no chemistry between the leads. I could "feel" it with the 2007 adaptation, but not with this one.
"millennials are ruining Jane Austen?" millennials would never do this to Jane Austen's work. we love the 1995 and 2005 adaptations of Pride & Prejudice and the new Emma movie. We wanted that for Persuasion....
no, we do not love clownish 2005 P&P. There were no millenials who ruined thus movie, It just shows us that bad education ruined not only millenials but even earlier generations
Ann is the last Austen character that you can make sarcastic and playful. Absolute disaster and such a disappointment! Take Emma or even Elizabeth and it may work. But this movie creates paradox: we have strong, independent, with her own opinion about everything woman who made same mistakes as book version. But book Ann made them because it was easy to influence her. Her lack of character, very calm nature and pleasing everyone else mentality got her in this pain. What they have done in 2022 just has no logic! And I wanna scream about it!
yup. How can you have one character saying: "Anne is such a kind person" and the very next moment have Anne say mean things like: "Death and marriage are the only ways to free yourself of your family" - it makes it look like she's putting on an act in front of everyone while being really bitter and mean on the inside.
When they announced it would be a modern adaptation, I thought it was going to be a contemporary setting like Clueless, not a period drama with cringey "Hey fellow kids" dialogue. I'm so disappointed that the Fox production was abandoned, it sounded like they were working on a more accurate representation of the novel.
Sally Hawkins portrayal of Anne was so lovely. So much of what she did was very subtle but made Anne obviously a quiet and awkward but funny, intelligent, and loving person. Her eyes were so expressive and her small smiles conveyed so much. So let's just watch that again lol.
The 4th wall break would have been perfect for Elinor in Sense and Sensibility… the fact that she dislikes almost every character yet still gets along with them out of civility- perfect 4th wall breaking opportunity
I strongly agree! That would give us a glimpse of her emotions too, because she's so reserved and repressed from having to take care of everyone else's feelings before her own.
I don't get why these things happen. If the director and screenplay didn't like the core essential of the novel, why then pick it? Is it because they thought they could get it better? Or is it about ignorance? ( do they read it?) Why???
@@SpinstersLibrary now, I don't want to scare anyone, but I've just read on twitter that screenwriter Ron Bass (the 80 year old man) is already working on next adaptations of Pride and prejudice and Sense and sensibility. Good.
This is what I keep wondering, too! Why do an "adaptation" if it's just to change it so much? Then just write an original screenplay instead! Eta: and if doing a book adaptation, maybe make sure someone has at least seemingly read the book first...
I watched this dumpster fire of a film yesterday and I am so grateful that I can comment on this forum and release some of the pent-up anger I have that this film was ever made! Anne Elliot is a favorite Austen heroine of mine, and this film denigrated her. I was so offended by the outrageous liberties the film took with the source material that I feel I may now have a raging prejudice against the actress Dakota Johnson. I feel about this film the way I felt about a similar adaptation of a beloved book, Ella Enchanted. Years ago, I could not wait until Ella Enchanted was made into a film ... and then I saw the film! Similarly, that film was dumbed down and given ridiculous anachronisms (Ye Olde Shopping Mall) in a misguided attempt to make it more relevant to a young audience. For crying out loud, who goes to Jane Austen movies! People who love period dramas! We watch these films to transport us to a different era. You can take liberties with the hair, costumes, etc. You can even change the time and setting (Clueless was brilliant) but don't rewrite the essence of the character.
Oh my gosh, Ella Enchanted. One of the biggest adaptation disappointments for my young book-loving self. My heart weeps for what they've done to poor Ella and Anne. They didn't deserve this. My favorite modern adaptation of anything Austen has to be Lizze Bennett Diaries. Thoroughly modern, yet doesn't completely rip the characters to shreds and put them back together in no resemblance of what they originally were.
It isn't laziness. Have you seen Sanditon? The messy hair is supposed to make our main character more "relatable". When I'm reality, the other characters would say, "Um, sorry. Looks like you forgot to comb your hair"?
And I have to add that we see a lot of this happening in period dramas. As if they will look prettier or something. There's nothing more elegant and cool than Esther's hair in Sanditon. Every other lady had somewhat proper hair (I'm not an expert so cannot claim it was perfect), but the main heroine was running around, no hat, hair loose. For what?
I can’t. The 1995 Persuasion with Amanda Root and Ciarán Hinds is perfect, I’ll watch that again instead (I own it). I especially love Sophie Thompson’s Mary Musgrove, but every character is excellent. The Crofts are in that one quite a bit, and Miss Smith has two scenes.
As someone who loved the book (and the 1995 adaptation) and also a big fan of Fleabag and Emma, this honestly sounds like a nightmare, I am in awe of you for watching it.
I’ve just finished watching #Persuasion2022 I specifically took umbrage particularly at the scene where Ann swimming in the sea alone. In the same scene she’s alone with Wentworth ( whose makeup was awful) unchaperoned! Mary was wonderful. Mr Eliot senior great. Mushroves are lovely. I liked some of the humour but the humour was too modern for the period. Ann of the novel is a lady. The film turns her into an idiot.
The unchaperoned point is not valid, men and women could talk alone, especially outdoors (Luisa Musgrove walks alone with Wentworth in the book, Lizzie walks with Darcy's cousin in the park and even talks to Darcy on her own indoors, he didn't run away the second he saw she was alone! ;-) Etc.) Agreed on other points, especially Mr Elliott senior!
Just listening again to Persuasion on audiobook and it specifically said it was in November when they went to Lyme to visit Cap't Harville. Definitely too cold for Anne to be swimming!
LOVED your review! "Cool swear-y" Spinster! You know who ranks women by numbers? Teenage BOYS--or an 80-year old man trying to be hip. I haven't watched it, yet. Historic costumers are up in arms, tho, just from the lack of bonnets and the typical "mermaid" hair. I can't wait for Abby Cox to review it with her friends like they did with corsets. FUN!
Former costumer here -- the hair was dreadful, as it often is. The costumes were blah and the wrong colors and textures (black gauze?!) and the worst of all -- Capt. Wentworth's stubble. Please, no more stubble on men of this period! They were clean-shaven, and even if they might get a little stubbly on ship or working out in the fields, a gentleman and/or an officer would NEVER appear in social circles, much less at a dinner party, with stubble. No, no, no.
I loathed the made up dialogue 🤦🏼♀️ I thought a lot of the actors delivered great performances but that couldn't save the screen adaptation. Like you say, Mary's character was perhaps the most in keeping with the original. Although she has a lot more self-awareness as Anne tells the camera. Yes on her costumes and hair! Well yes on all the points, including delicious looking food and Mr William Eliot😂
Honestly, Fleabag meets Jane Austen is probably how this got pitched and greenlit. Studios aren't interested in an idea unless you can make a comparison to something else that's already worked.
Apparently I've decided that, instead of watching Persuasion, I'll just watch a bunch of videos of angry TH-camrs venting and swearing about how bad it is, because they have suffered in my stead and I should reward them with an offering to the almighty algorithm.
As I was watching it I kept feeling that one night after rehearsal the cast went out to dinner and got a bit drunk and started riffing, and somehow that was what got released as the film. I agree that the actors playing Sir Walter and Mary were wonderful--love Richard E Grant whenever I see him, and the actress who played Mary was delightful. The other segment of TH-cam that I watch is historical clothing and costuming, so I look forward to the inevitable videos there roasting the costuming choices. Thank you for your review!
Nailed it! Seriously better than the movie. I actually thought Lousia seemed so much less silly and then out of nowhere she jumped off the wall. I should have been drinking red wine straight from the bottle while watching. Oy!
I have never had a problem with modernization of Austen, when it's done thoughtfully and intentionally and with a keen understanding of the source material. Fully moving the stories out of the Regency and into the present day has been done extremely well with Clueless and Bride and Prejudice and a number of other adaptations. But as a historical costumer and fairly knowledgeable fashion history researcher, it just bugs me when there's such a total mish-mash of Regency costume and settings, with a completely 21st-century script. It just doesn't make any sense. PARTICULARLY when the supposed *main character* looks so completely different from everyone else. The white button-up shirt was just amateur hour. I will say, she had some cute pelisses - I lust after that green velvet one, and the teal linen was pretty cute as well. But literally everything else she wore looked like such crap compared to all the extras in the Bath scenes who were perfectly turned out in Regency finery. It was bizarre.
I know! I'm not an expert on period clothing at all, and even I was pointing at random characters in the background yelling "even SHE'S wearing a bonnet" - the way they dressed Anne so differently from everyone around her was jarring.
I thought the same about her clothing, why is she wearing some off the rack cheap modern, no bonnet number, but everyone dressed right. It was just weird. She stood weird in the clothes. Odd, very disappointing movie. I have only listened to the book being read on spotify and loved it. So this was my first movie adaptation of it... gutted. Fell so short of what the wonderful storyteller and my imagination created.
Thank you for such an entertaining review! A lot of your criticisms were similar to the ones I made in my review. The relatability thing is extremely outdated - I thought they tried to make Anne a bizarre mix of Bridget Jones and Fleabag. Suffice to say that strange hybrid does not work. And yes!!!! The dancing alone with a bottle of red! Anachronisms can be funny, but not when they are that dumb!
@@SpinstersLibrary when you said one of the writers is an 80 year old man it made so much sense to me, it's like they took the clumsy cuteness of Bridget Jones and slapped it onto a Fleabag style camera work...
Persuasion is my very favourite book of all time. I adore the 1995 film for its excellent casting and faithfulness to the novel. I yelled at the latest trailer “That’s NOT Anne!” Then did the same along with a lot of groaning and cussing through the movie. I only like Mary.
Persuasion is so dear to my heart and just seeing the trailer and reviews makes me so sad this was an adaptation they went with 😕. Will never watch that film.
Great review/rant. You put into words many of my thoughts and disappointments. I almost stopped watching the film about 1/3 of the way through but trudged on. I'm glad I did because I don't have to try watching it again. As a Baby Boomer, I, too, was put off by the sad attempts of the script to sound trendy and humorous.
As a millennial that related to how Anne Elliot was in the book. This recharacterization really made me feel sad. Made me re-watch the 1995 version again though, so that's a positive .
As for the costumes, I feel like the decision to give Ann a different clothing style was to make everyone else in the story stand out or make her feel out of place, and they did this but not the way they wanted. Everyone in the story (especially her family) is supposed to be very frivolous and eccentric while making Ann feel like a bit of an outcast. In the movie Ann stands out not because she doesn't look like she belongs among the people that surround her but because she doesn't look like she belongs in the time period all together. Her costumes look like they were made by someone who was described what women in the regency period wore without actually looking at any references. They could've have her worn gowns with a similar structure as the other women except lacking the detail their dresses have, make her colour palette more monotone, mess up her hair a little. TLDR: the costume makers might have wanted to make Ann look like she doesn't belong in her family but instead they made her look like she doesn't belong in the 19th century.
i super agree with youuuu i can also tell the intention but the contrasts are too high. she looked like she just walked in on set. my biggest complain is the hair, it's way too casual 😭
Bang on about the Bridget Jones' clumsiness being outdated. Great commentary on the many faults, and well done for crediting its few positive points, too!
Your review of this movie was totally spot-on. You put words to things that bothered me, but I couldn't explain. Off topic: If Minerva is talking more than usual, she may be trying to tell you something is wrong health-wise. When my cat got older her kidneys started to fail. She had also turned into a chatterbox when she never "spoke" before. This was the only indication. I think she was trying to tell me that she didn't feel well. If this is the case, please get Minerva checked out by her vet.
Thank you! Minerva has been like this since she was a kitten - she was fund in the street at just one week old and bottle-raised from then, so she is extremely attached to humans, very vocal and incredibly good at telling us exactly what she wants at any given moment. The meow in the video is the one that means "give me attention now, my favourite brush is just over here, why are you not brushing me right now?"
Same. After the godawful trailer I sat down with a bottle of red (and a glass - call me old-fashioned), prepared to hate-watch this movie, but I was still genuinely surprised: it was so, so much worse than I feared. As you say, the dialogue was unbearable cringe. "Quite the upgrade...do you have the same trouble with spoons?" This pitiful banter is supposed to belong to the same character who writes The Letter. Really?! I kept remarking to myself in gobsmacked horror that a professional screenwriter was paid for this bilge. It fails so badly as an adaptation that I find it hard to believe that the writers and director had read the book. Both Anne and Wentworth are thoroughly mangled in their characterisation. The social ineptness and gaucherie (the dinner outburst about Charles Musgrove, the octopus story to Lady Dalrymple) were the total opposite of Anne's thoughtful and considered interiority. They obviously had no interest in, or respect for, the character of Anne Elliot. The Louisa Musgrove character I found far more convincing as Anne: kind, thoughtful and considerate. And the actress playing Louisa had more chemistry with Cosmo Jarvis. Speaking of which, I haven't seen Jarvis in anything else but his Wentworth had all the command and charisma of a bewildered badger. I don't even understand what they were going for with the character. His claim to fame in the Navy seemed to revolve around saving beached whales. Not, you know, capturing enemy ships as prizes in naval combat, which is only the source of his new wealth, after all. But we do learn that whenever he was in a pickle at sea - perhaps whilst leading hundreds of men in battle, that sort of thing - that he would ask himself how Anne would handle the situation, because she would have been a great admiral , don't you know? But of course he's against Teh Patriarchy, because we've also learned, most helpfully, that he "listens when women speak." With his "whole body", no less. This impersonation of a giant ear is "E-LEC-TRI-FY-ING", apparently. Just...WHAT? I will take you to task on one thing. You've given Ronald Bass a deserved bashing for this garbage, but his co-writer was a young woman and the director Carrie Cracknell is an experienced director. They also let this happen and there's plenty of blame & shame to share with this disaster. Fun Fleabag Fact: the actress playing Mrs. Harville also played Fleabag's friend Boo.
Oh I didn't know that about the Boo actress! But then I am faceblind, so I never actually recognise people on TV even if I have seen them before. Wentworth was so wooden and uncharismatic, he was painful to watch at times. Wannabe Darcy but without any of the charme. You make a good point about Ronald Bass's co-writer Alice Victoria Winslow. And you might call me cynical, but when you have such a big name established screenwriter collaborating with a much younger female writer at the beginning of her career, I have no doubt about who calls the shots in that working relationship. Of course, we'll never really know who is more to blame for this disaster of a script, but it gives off strong "man writing women" vibes.
I think what took my out of the movie basically instantly was the talking to the camera. the things she said to the audience weren't even relevant... like we could see that she was in pain and that she was struggling, but then she goes and tells us that she is in agony. Don't treat your audience like their dumb! I haven't watched fleabag but from what you said I assume they do a much better job at using the technique to enhance the story... also fleabag as a unreliable narrator is giving a twist. But Anne just talked about her feelings and it felt like lazy film making. If I want to HEAR the story I would listen to the audiobook.....
You're right! She acts like a time traveller. And that reminds me of Lost in Austen and Austenland. But then they should have made it as something like those films, as if real 21st century people coming somehow into a Regency Era scenery. In this case this strange alternative Anne character could have worked.
Another reviewer said she looks out of place because “She has a face that looks like she knows what a cell phone is.” 🤣 Pretty accurate. I’m not sure if it’s Dakota Fanning herself or how she was directed to act/look for this film, but yeah.
I had 0 expectations before watching this film, so I actually managed to enjoy it -well, by pretending it wasn't the same story. The best things that came out of this were Mary and Sir Elliot; also, I have to say, I think Dakota Johnson did a good job with what she was given (absolute garbage, that's what she was given). I think they tried too much to do what Emma. (2020) did, but whereas it worked really well for that story, it really REALLY doesn't work for Persuasion.
I love Persuasion as a novel and am desperate for a good adaptation of it. This wasn’t it. I wanted to love it, but was just rolling my eyes. It was ok I suppose
One other plus for this production was the music. Otherwise, I agree with your take on this. I didn’t realize that on of the writers was an 18year old boy…so much is explained! I really appreciated your insight that Northanger Abbey would have been better suited to this kind of attempt at modernization.
I had no desire to see this version of Persuasion at all, and now that's been confirmed. So I shall avoid it. Why people want to try to modernise the characters' speech when they're obviously from an era far in the past is beyond me. I can understand wanting to make things appealing to modern audiences, but don't try to write as you think a younger generation would speak if you're not from that generation. I'm Gen X, but I wouldn't try to write as if I was a Millenial or Gen Y, or is it Z? If someone wants to do a modern version of a classic, then set it in modern day with modern clothes and have a person of that generation write it, like they did with Clueless and Bridget Jones' Diary, which fit well in their time periods. Anyway, thanks for this review. I'm glad that you let your cat have his/her say in the matter. That helped, too. Your cat is lovely and adorable.
The dialogue they had made up was so very cringeworthy! I actually thought the worst bits for that were Lady Russell and Anne’s conversations. 🙉 It was indeed like they dropped a really inferior Fleabag into the middle of “Persuasion”. It felt like a complete character assassination of Anne Elliot from start to finish. Book Anne is my favourite Austen heroine. The scenery was nice. “At that point they could have played the theme from countdown” 😂😂😂 🐇
the 90s version is the only version i will recognise from here on out. that version was so true to the spirit of the book and so well cast and acted and just so wonderful. netflix version was a fucking disgrace tbh.
The scriptwriter clearly did their dialogue research by going through Gen Z memes on twitter. All the while not realising that no one actually speaks the way they do on twitter in real life
You put your finger right on it, it sounded like when corporations use memes unironically, completely missing all of the subtleties of online communication and thinking that's what Young People (TM) sound like offline.
"Fleabag " is a series that i might have enjoyed when I was a teenager- especially the naughty bits. Jane Austin's "Persuasion" on the contrary is a novel to be savored by reasonably mature readers who have some experience of Anne Elliot's disappointments and finally joy.The exquisite 1995 version with Amanda Root comes closest to the feeling of the novel.
This is why people have been complaining about comics, star wars, star trek, dr who, and other media.. They are destroying many characters. And making other disrespectful decisions. They see the IP as something to be squeezed dry
I have yet to see one reviewer who actually liked the new Persuasion movie...all this hate towards Hollywood (or Netflix in this case) trying to modernize a classic...and I am loving it! Why or why mess up a classic?
Loved your video and loved the way you communicate with your cat. It really made my day xx My cat looks exactly like yours and thanks for involving her in your video.
Agreed on your analysis. With Anne’s costume choices: I thought they might also be going for a reference to how Kiera Knightly was dressed in Pride and Prejudice. They also dressed her differently from her sisters in some scenes, including a collared shirt and loose hair.
I thnk that Dakota Johnson seems like a really cool person, and I don't know that she is an entirely terrible actress. But boy oh boy has she played some shit roles in some terrible films.
Watching this adaptation I had a feeling the makers WATCHED the previous adaptations, but never really READ the book. Plus the Fleabag-ization, for Americans wanted the battle of wits with British (and came unarmed). But maybe someone will read it after watching this flick, and it would be the best. Just read the book, kids. One thing I quite liked: Anne Elliot said the things she would never ever say aloud, but should. And one scene justified her character: when she tells Benwick to fetch the doctor, and she sounds like a captain herself. Overall, it wasn't unpleasant, it just wasn't good.
You know it's bad when a concept trailer for a Pride and Prejudice spin-off book (Wickham's Second Attempt) is better than a Netflix trailer #wickhamssecondattempt
Filmmakers and screenwriters need to stop underestimating audiences. People can understand a script even if there are no memes or references to pop culture in it
Louisa was quite mature for her age in this movie which is a complete failure to understand the book Louisa. The point of Louisa was to be a counterpart of Anne, in which she was open and charming but lacked good judgment while Anne is calmed and collected and with a good head above her shoulders. The actress for Louisa is so charming you cannot help to like her but it was a really bad characterization of the book character, and in my opinion, the greatest indicator that the writers of this atrocious movie COMPLETELY missed the point of the whole book. Ugh, I fucking hate this movie and the stupid boomer that wrote it.
She called her father narcissistic. I’m pretty sure that wasn’t a label in general use in 1805. I think we had to wait for Freud for that. Cringeworthy.
Hi Claudia, I love how you do analysis. It almost makes me want to watch the Netflix version of persuasion. But since persuasion is my favorite Jane Austen novel, I think I’ll pass. Fleabag was one of my surprise hits of that season and I wouldn’t want to see that was spoiled either. Hugs and aloha
Yes! This!!! The title of this video is exactly what I thought when I saw someone making the comparison in a Facebook comment (I wasn’t aware many others had, even professional writers - yikes!!). I have so much love for both Persuasion and Fleabag, but that movie is an insult to both!
How to underestimate your audience -- and achieve even less. Anne's hair and costumes were terrible, but they fit in with this film's approach: SHE's Not Like Other Girls. She's before her time, and so wacky!
I guess about 2 years ago I finally crossed the line from 'oh great I must watch this it might be good' to checking out the promo and going 'ah no I am not watching that as the chances I am going to be disturbed in some way are very very high and just not worth the risk.
My god that film is painful to hear about let alone watch 😂😂 I'm glad I convinced my friend not to give it a try. I'm sending this to her as a "See, I was right" token 😂
How could you even have sat through that piece of junk? I only made it about 10 minutes in... You're amazing. Thank you. I haven't read Persuasion and had never seen the movie before. Yet even I stopped after 10 minutes and found another version just so I wouldn't go out of my mind. If they wanted to make a modern version, then they should have done so, ala` 10 Things I Hate About You (a modern version of Shakespeare's "A Taming of The Shrew.") That would have been something I could understand. But, no. Apparently they lack the imagination and wit to carry off such a stretch. Maybe this is the result of an entire generation not reading...? I don't mean NO ONE reads. But, clearly, many people in Hollywood never read a book. They watch videos and clips and read synopses and reviews. But they never sit down and actually READ. I knew it would start catching up to us one day.
I am like you as Persuasion isn’t my favourite Austen but this movie was just horrible and it completely ignored the real Anne Elliott in favour of modernised trash. Can’t say I’m surprised but it is still very disappointing as this novel was due another adaptation. It deserves much better than this.
The Fleabag-like camera stares remind me a little of the 2007 Persuasion movie, so maybe that's why they picked Persuasion? Even though it's not the same thing at all but it's all I can think of because the Netflix version of Anne Elliott is more of a Fleabag-esque version of Elizabeth Bennett rather than any other Austen heroine, especially not canon Anne. If they wanted to do something with Persuasion, I think a prequel to the novel would have been a more interesting thing to explore - Anne and Frederick's first meeting and beginning of their relationship, I was always curious about that tbh.
they literally let dakota johnson keep her own hairstyle. why didn't they just give her an updo or make her wear bonnets, it's fucking beyond me?? it bothers me SO much. i also laughed when you made the comparison between fleabag's guinea pig and anne's rabbit hahajs
I have had problems watching movies and shows after the pandemic started. There’s something about being so passively entertained that makes me squirm in my seat. Like it makes isolation more obvious. So I’m glad to automatically skip it.
Well, I enjoyed the film. Luckily I had seen the trailer, and was prepared for disappointment (for once a trailer was spot on!), and they do say clearly "based on Persuasion", so I just relaxed and saw it not as an adaptation, but as fan fiction. I would only have ommitted her blurting out that comment about Charles proposal, that was just mean to her sister. But the rest was fun, I loved being surprised by everything they changed, and Mary and Mr Elliot were just wonderful. Still, not sure what its rewatchability potential will be. (Oh, haven't seen Fleagbag, but I definitely got Bridget Jones vibes all the way.) Edit to add: Persuasion is my favourite Jane Austen novel. The novel is always going to be there for us to read, and I hope someone makes a very good direct adaptation for the younger generation, but we still have the 1995 one after all :D )
I already cringe at the ridiculous "Miss Austen Regrets" as Jane behaves nothing like how Austen would never have. Same with Fanny, her niece. It's so gross how uncivilized they are for their time period and breeding.
They truly should have done an inspired film like Clueless or 10 Things I Hate About You. The 180 on Anne's character would still not be great but we could think this was a story that just took the premise of the story. This film made me question the writing professionals. How using "modern" terms like "here is the playlist he gave to me" and "my sister is a complete narcissist'" was just unbearable. Bridgerton and even 2005 P&P demonstrated how one can make the project modern without adding "I'm hip with the youth" dialogue. Bridgerton did this with the aesthetic and music. 2005 P&P put the story in a later period and put a more modern family dynamic to the Bennets. Whoever is writing these scripts does not use the other senses to express what is happening in the film. They use dialogue to feed the audience answers or attempting to make them believe something when actions say otherwise. Capturing everyone's idea of a character is impossible. But they changed Anne to the point of being almost unrecognizable but say she is the book Anne by other characters saying she has traits. An example of this is when people said she was "the kindest" person but she literally blurted that her sister was her brother in law's second choice after she refused him.
I read the book. And I loved the filmed. I thought that the film did an excellent job with describing all the characters and I loved Anne both in the book I felt like she was very relatable especially how she is a people pleaser and her awkwardness was great. I never felt like Anne had a personality in the books except for her crush on Frederick but the film showed her personality and she was so relatable to me and I loved how she was still crushing on Frederick and yet she couldn’t communicate with him and vice versa. I felt like they completely got the book and correct in the film. Also just because your imagination of the book is different then everyone else is okay because when you read a book your vision of it is yours alone and others are not going to be the same. Why does the adaption have to be exactly how you imagined it ? Did you write the screen play or were you asked to give your input on the film ? I am sick and tired of people hating a film when it doesn’t fit the vision that they imagined in their head. Also when reading a book it’s like the character is telling you the story so when Anne talks to the camera it’s like one was reading the book themselves. Also the chemistry between Anne and Frederick is so obvious with the longing looks and how they want to say so much more to each other yet they can’t communicate with each other. I feel like watching the film gives one a great visualisation of the book. After watching the film I completely understand the book now. Also I learned that Anne’s family in the book is just horrible and I don’t blame her for finally leaving with Frederick and the film did that justice.
This version is fresh and fun! Comparing it to Fleabag is pointless because having the leading character break the fourth wall was going on as far back as the '96 adaptation of Moll Flanders! I really enjoyed this new take on Austen's novel - the heroine is spirited and charming, Captain Wentworth is genuinely sensitive and the 'colour blind' casting is something I want to see more and more of. Austen's book will always be there - just think of this as a 'riff' on a main theme! :-)
Except this spirited and charming heroine is the exact opposite of the story's main character. And since she's so opposite the inciting event would have never happened. Anne was persuaded not to marry Wentworth, despite her great love for him, by pressure from her family and society. Wentworth was deemed not good enough for her as he was not from landed gentry. This Anne has no respect or regard for her families opinions and constantly flouts societal norms. So .... WHY would this Anne say no? She wouldn't so the central plot / conflict of the movie is completely unbelievable.
This is the first time I’ve seen one of your videos and was very entertained! I haven’t gotten around to watching Persuasion yet but when you quoted the “dancing alone in my room with a bottle of red” line I inexplicably imagined a Jokeresque scene with Dakota Johnson dancing instead of Joaquin Phoenix and honestly that would’ve been funny as fuck.
The only Bridgerton comparison is the diverse casting. I have no idea why Anne was dressed in black a lot in the movie. I guess they wanted to make her look depressed, but she looked like she was mourning. She went to see aristocracy in a black dress?! Wtf was that?! Her sister liked looking good next to her, but there’s no way she would’ve allowed her to go in a black dress! So many things wrong with this movie 😩
YES! She wears so many shirts. It's so bizarre, especially since all the other characters around her look like they might at least be actually from that era and then she shows up in a button-up and a beret.
@@SpinstersLibrary It defies logic!! LOL I am choosing to skip this one. I rewatched the beautiful 1996 version this weekend in protest. Of course, lovely as always. Thank you for this octopus-arrific review!!
Dakota needs to choose her parts better. I agree about the hair. She was being Dakota, not Anne. I took notice of that. And Wentworth? There was something off I thought that I couldn’t put my finger on. I thought Dakota’s acting was pretty good considering the character the movie wants for her to project, but she could have worked with her accent better.
The stubble, the rags he wore? He was supposed to be a man who made his fortune, but instead we got a middling farmer? Robert Martin looks better dressed and groomed in Emma.
I have so many conflicting thoughts on this movie - I appreciate your perspective as the "intended audience" for the film. I'm pretty sure they weren't trying to make it appealing to a mid-40s year old man, LOL... I did a review too but I'm still conflicted on the movie. I guess I come down to - it's a bad adaptation but an ok film that took some elements from Austen but made their own film. Wait, the script actually sounds like one of those stories that are written by AI...
I wish Miranda would get the credit - Fleabag was obviously heavily influenced by her and its a shame the writer hasnt admitted to that or given credit where credits due
![Do we REALLY need another Pride and Prejudice adaptation? [CC]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/R11r_LnmY5c/mqdefault.jpg)
You don’t need to make Austen modern! She is! Her books are still relevant! Her characters with their weaknesses and strengths can easily live in our world! The reason why it is such a classic it’s because you can see yourself in Elizabeth, Jane, Ann or others. You can relate to them in 21 century.
Agreed. I hate this trend of modernizing everything, I feel like people should really be insulted by it since it encourages dumbfication, it's everything chewed out and spat in youngers folks mouth so they don't have the "trouble" to actually think about context and correlations
Modernity is not the appeal some think it is. I seek out classics to escape modernity. In the echoes of the past, glimpsed through the lens of the past, the modern viewer can see that which still rings true across the ages. Even in the antiquated language or seemingly silly customs foreign to us today, we can understand so much about human behavior. It is an exercise in relating to something outside your own realm of comfort or understanding. It's an anthropological crime to cast out such things as "too difficult" for modern audiences or to outright indict a culture for being foreign to your own sensibilities.
@@ohifonlyx33
100%
Reading classic literature is my way of escaping the awfulness of modern life, and recognising the familiar characteristics we see around us in the people we know
It's like they've decided there's only one acceptable format of the main female character: "not like other girls", sardonic, a bit awkward, sassy etc. Which of course means that after watching 3 movies like that you're completely bored.
I agree. I feel like emma (2020) should have sparked more faithful austen adaptations, but.. i guess not. But i would also like to add that there is nothing inherently wrong with modernising classic austen. Clueless is proof of this. This Persuasion adaptation was a completely uninspired attempt. This is a bad movie first and foremost and secondarily a bad adaptation. "I dont trust a 10" and the rest of the god awfully written dialogue would be cringe in any movie.
"She had more chemistry with the rabbit than she did with her supposed intended." So true! This was definitely the worst adaptation to date.
Indeed it was I had to stop watching it several times during the course of three days because the movie was so cringy!!
I have watched it last night, and I have to say the acting of the main actress, the lack of chemistry between the leads, the complete 180 they have done with Anne’s character and disposition, made me cry. This is by far the worst and I dare say disrespectful adaptation from a Jane Austen novel I have ever seen. It shouldn’t even be called an adaption for that matter. It really broke my heart how they made Anne this self-absorbed and borderline alcoholic person when she is far from it. I can’t even begin to pin point the amount of things wrong with this movie. The only 3 good things were the soundtrack, the colours they chose for the movie and scenes and the Musgroves. That is literally it. I will cleanse my eyes today with the 1995 version.
I agree absolutely. This movie made me want to cry, simply because of how bad it was.
Absolutely agree! So sad.
thank you for putting my thoughts into words, I was still in shock I couldn't speak.
@@blackbetty476 I was also in shock, but my anger was in greater number so “she” spoke first 😂! I still can’t believe they even thought this was okey to make and to release.
@@tezzag818 couldn’t agree more!
I think pride and prejudice would be a perfect Austen novel for Fleabag-ification, because the self-awareness and fourth wall breaking of the show serves the explicit purpose of underlining the *perspective* the main character- we are reminded time and time again that this is Fleabags warped and personal point of view through the medium itself. Pride and Prejudice is a novel about the limiting nature of one’s perspective, but I think we as a culture are burned out of pride and prejudice adaptations. Also, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again but the Lizzie Bennet Diaries were the PERFECT fleabag-ification of an Austen novel before fleabag ever existed and I will die on this hill.
I agree! If you want to modernize Jane Austen then learn from the Lizzie Bennet diaries or Emma approves. They're so good and are faithful to the themes and characters while bringing them into modern settings
There was Fire Island last month.
Seconding Fire Island, a really excellent Pride and Prejudice modernisation.
I think fleabag-ification would also work on Emma. I can see Emma talking to me by breaking fourth wall.
Although the fourth-wall wouldn't fit there, I would love to see modernized version of Northanger Abbey. The book itself was intended by Austen as a satire/parody on gothic horror stories, it would work so well!
The most recent Emma also worked because the book was quite comedic.
On the other hand, stories like Persuasions or Sense and Sensibility cannot work in this format, because they deal with subtle, delicate emotions.
Capt. Wentworth was feeling “half agony, half hope,” while I was ALL agony watching this movie!
lmaaao same here
That is a good one!! Well said
Capt. Wentworth in this movie was asking WHERE I AM
@@wen1902 he was sooo in over his head! I’ve never seen him act b4…
He looked like he didn't care when Anne was in the room. There was no feeling of agony or hope. There was just no chemistry between the leads. I could "feel" it with the 2007 adaptation, but not with this one.
"millennials are ruining Jane Austen?" millennials would never do this to Jane Austen's work. we love the 1995 and 2005 adaptations of Pride & Prejudice and the new Emma movie. We wanted that for Persuasion....
no, we do not love clownish 2005 P&P. There were no millenials who ruined thus movie, It just shows us that bad education ruined not only millenials but even earlier generations
Ann is the last Austen character that you can make sarcastic and playful. Absolute disaster and such a disappointment! Take Emma or even Elizabeth and it may work. But this movie creates paradox: we have strong, independent, with her own opinion about everything woman who made same mistakes as book version. But book Ann made them because it was easy to influence her. Her lack of character, very calm nature and pleasing everyone else mentality got her in this pain. What they have done in 2022 just has no logic! And I wanna scream about it!
It's almost as if the writers didn't understand why Austen titled her masterpiece "Persuasion", right?
Anne not Ann
yup. How can you have one character saying: "Anne is such a kind person" and the very next moment have Anne say mean things like: "Death and marriage are the only ways to free yourself of your family" - it makes it look like she's putting on an act in front of everyone while being really bitter and mean on the inside.
Fanny is definitely the last, but yes what a terrible choice for Anne.
She did not have "a lack of character", she had a soft character and was persuaded.
When they announced it would be a modern adaptation, I thought it was going to be a contemporary setting like Clueless, not a period drama with cringey "Hey fellow kids" dialogue. I'm so disappointed that the Fox production was abandoned, it sounded like they were working on a more accurate representation of the novel.
Sally Hawkins portrayal of Anne was so lovely. So much of what she did was very subtle but made Anne obviously a quiet and awkward but funny, intelligent, and loving person. Her eyes were so expressive and her small smiles conveyed so much. So let's just watch that again lol.
yessss omg i watched that one on repeat instead of this garbage one, sally hawkins is the perfect Anne
My favourite is the one with Amanda Roots and Ciaran Hinds, even though they changed Mr Elliott's motives
Yes, sadly Anne was nowhere to be found in this "adaptation" 😢
The 4th wall break would have been perfect for Elinor in Sense and Sensibility… the fact that she dislikes almost every character yet still gets along with them out of civility- perfect 4th wall breaking opportunity
I strongly agree! That would give us a glimpse of her emotions too, because she's so reserved and repressed from having to take care of everyone else's feelings before her own.
I don't get why these things happen. If the director and screenplay didn't like the core essential of the novel, why then pick it?
Is it because they thought they could get it better?
Or is it about ignorance? ( do they read it?)
Why???
I wish I knew...
they just grabbed a highlighter pen and said let's turn it into a parody
@@SpinstersLibrary now, I don't want to scare anyone, but I've just read on twitter that screenwriter Ron Bass (the 80 year old man) is already working on next adaptations of Pride and prejudice and Sense and sensibility.
Good.
This is what I keep wondering, too! Why do an "adaptation" if it's just to change it so much? Then just write an original screenplay instead!
Eta: and if doing a book adaptation, maybe make sure someone has at least seemingly read the book first...
It's because it's a well-known author who's dead and they could get for free, that's why.
I watched this dumpster fire of a film yesterday and I am so grateful that I can comment on this forum and release some of the pent-up anger I have that this film was ever made! Anne Elliot is a favorite Austen heroine of mine, and this film denigrated her. I was so offended by the outrageous liberties the film took with the source material that I feel I may now have a raging prejudice against the actress Dakota Johnson. I feel about this film the way I felt about a similar adaptation of a beloved book, Ella Enchanted. Years ago, I could not wait until Ella Enchanted was made into a film ... and then I saw the film! Similarly, that film was dumbed down and given ridiculous anachronisms (Ye Olde Shopping Mall) in a misguided attempt to make it more relevant to a young audience. For crying out loud, who goes to Jane Austen movies! People who love period dramas! We watch these films to transport us to a different era. You can take liberties with the hair, costumes, etc. You can even change the time and setting (Clueless was brilliant) but don't rewrite the essence of the character.
Oh my gosh, Ella Enchanted. One of the biggest adaptation disappointments for my young book-loving self. My heart weeps for what they've done to poor Ella and Anne. They didn't deserve this.
My favorite modern adaptation of anything Austen has to be Lizze Bennett Diaries. Thoroughly modern, yet doesn't completely rip the characters to shreds and put them back together in no resemblance of what they originally were.
It isn't laziness. Have you seen Sanditon? The messy hair is supposed to make our main character more "relatable". When I'm reality, the other characters would say, "Um, sorry. Looks like you forgot to comb your hair"?
And I have to add that we see a lot of this happening in period dramas. As if they will look prettier or something. There's nothing more elegant and cool than Esther's hair in Sanditon. Every other lady had somewhat proper hair (I'm not an expert so cannot claim it was perfect), but the main heroine was running around, no hat, hair loose. For what?
@@Natalyflyer Right? In Sanditon, I kept waiting for characters to say, "We'll wait to go out until you fix your hair and don't embarrass us"! 🤣
And slut shame them for not being appropriately dressed
Charlotte’s hair in Sanditon is completely out of control.
I can’t. The 1995 Persuasion with Amanda Root and Ciarán Hinds is perfect, I’ll watch that again instead (I own it). I especially love Sophie Thompson’s Mary Musgrove, but every character is excellent. The Crofts are in that one quite a bit, and Miss Smith has two scenes.
Yes, it's an excellent adaptation and one I plan to rewatch soon as a palate cleanser.
@@SpinstersLibrary lol, indeed.
As someone who loved the book (and the 1995 adaptation) and also a big fan of Fleabag and Emma, this honestly sounds like a nightmare, I am in awe of you for watching it.
I’ve just finished watching #Persuasion2022
I specifically took umbrage particularly at the scene where Ann swimming in the sea alone. In the same scene she’s alone with Wentworth ( whose makeup was awful) unchaperoned!
Mary was wonderful.
Mr Eliot senior great.
Mushroves are lovely.
I liked some of the humour but the humour was too modern for the period.
Ann of the novel is a lady. The film turns her into an idiot.
The very last thing that Anne Elliot is is an idiot.
Have the screenwriters even read persuasion????
The unchaperoned point is not valid, men and women could talk alone, especially outdoors (Luisa Musgrove walks alone with Wentworth in the book, Lizzie walks with Darcy's cousin in the park and even talks to Darcy on her own indoors, he didn't run away the second he saw she was alone! ;-) Etc.) Agreed on other points, especially Mr Elliott senior!
Just listening again to Persuasion on audiobook and it specifically said it was in November when they went to Lyme to visit Cap't Harville. Definitely too cold for Anne to be swimming!
LOVED your review! "Cool swear-y" Spinster! You know who ranks women by numbers? Teenage BOYS--or an 80-year old man trying to be hip. I haven't watched it, yet. Historic costumers are up in arms, tho, just from the lack of bonnets and the typical "mermaid" hair. I can't wait for Abby Cox to review it with her friends like they did with corsets. FUN!
Oh I am very excited to see Abby and other costume youtubers rant about these costuming choices.
Former costumer here -- the hair was dreadful, as it often is. The costumes were blah and the wrong colors and textures (black gauze?!) and the worst of all -- Capt. Wentworth's stubble. Please, no more stubble on men of this period! They were clean-shaven, and even if they might get a little stubbly on ship or working out in the fields, a gentleman and/or an officer would NEVER appear in social circles, much less at a dinner party, with stubble. No, no, no.
@@VickiWeavil Oh, the stubble! Why?!!
I like Miss Cox's commentaries!
Lmao! I'm loving everyone roasting this movie. You and other youtubers are so articulate. Thank you
I loathed the made up dialogue 🤦🏼♀️
I thought a lot of the actors delivered great performances but that couldn't save the screen adaptation.
Like you say, Mary's character was perhaps the most in keeping with the original. Although she has a lot more self-awareness as Anne tells the camera.
Yes on her costumes and hair!
Well yes on all the points, including delicious looking food and Mr William Eliot😂
Honestly, Fleabag meets Jane Austen is probably how this got pitched and greenlit. Studios aren't interested in an idea unless you can make a comparison to something else that's already worked.
Apparently I've decided that, instead of watching Persuasion, I'll just watch a bunch of videos of angry TH-camrs venting and swearing about how bad it is, because they have suffered in my stead and I should reward them with an offering to the almighty algorithm.
As I was watching it I kept feeling that one night after rehearsal the cast went out to dinner and got a bit drunk and started riffing, and somehow that was what got released as the film. I agree that the actors playing Sir Walter and Mary were wonderful--love Richard E Grant whenever I see him, and the actress who played Mary was delightful. The other segment of TH-cam that I watch is historical clothing and costuming, so I look forward to the inevitable videos there roasting the costuming choices. Thank you for your review!
Nailed it! Seriously better than the movie. I actually thought Lousia seemed so much less silly and then out of nowhere she jumped off the wall. I should have been drinking red wine straight from the bottle while watching. Oy!
I have never had a problem with modernization of Austen, when it's done thoughtfully and intentionally and with a keen understanding of the source material. Fully moving the stories out of the Regency and into the present day has been done extremely well with Clueless and Bride and Prejudice and a number of other adaptations. But as a historical costumer and fairly knowledgeable fashion history researcher, it just bugs me when there's such a total mish-mash of Regency costume and settings, with a completely 21st-century script. It just doesn't make any sense. PARTICULARLY when the supposed *main character* looks so completely different from everyone else. The white button-up shirt was just amateur hour. I will say, she had some cute pelisses - I lust after that green velvet one, and the teal linen was pretty cute as well. But literally everything else she wore looked like such crap compared to all the extras in the Bath scenes who were perfectly turned out in Regency finery. It was bizarre.
I am glad to hear your take on it as I have decided to not watch the movie.
I know! I'm not an expert on period clothing at all, and even I was pointing at random characters in the background yelling "even SHE'S wearing a bonnet" - the way they dressed Anne so differently from everyone around her was jarring.
I thought the same about her clothing, why is she wearing some off the rack cheap modern, no bonnet number, but everyone dressed right. It was just weird. She stood weird in the clothes. Odd, very disappointing movie.
I have only listened to the book being read on spotify and loved it. So this was my first movie adaptation of it... gutted. Fell so short of what the wonderful storyteller and my imagination created.
Thank you for such an entertaining review! A lot of your criticisms were similar to the ones I made in my review. The relatability thing is extremely outdated - I thought they tried to make Anne a bizarre mix of Bridget Jones and Fleabag. Suffice to say that strange hybrid does not work.
And yes!!!! The dancing alone with a bottle of red! Anachronisms can be funny, but not when they are that dumb!
Glad I'm no the only one who got Bridget Jones vibes from this. It just didn't work.
@@SpinstersLibrary when you said one of the writers is an 80 year old man it made so much sense to me, it's like they took the clumsy cuteness of Bridget Jones and slapped it onto a Fleabag style camera work...
Persuasion is my very favourite book of all time. I adore the 1995 film for its excellent casting and faithfulness to the novel. I yelled at the latest trailer “That’s NOT Anne!” Then did the same along with a lot of groaning and cussing through the movie. I only like Mary.
Persuasion is so dear to my heart and just seeing the trailer and reviews makes me so sad this was an adaptation they went with 😕. Will never watch that film.
me neither. It seems like a travesty
same
I will never watch it either - it looks terrible.
I’m sorry I did. Some things you can’t unsee
Great review/rant. You put into words many of my thoughts and disappointments. I almost stopped watching the film about 1/3 of the way through but trudged on. I'm glad I did because I don't have to try watching it again. As a Baby Boomer, I, too, was put off by the sad attempts of the script to sound trendy and humorous.
Love this rant but the cherry on top is Minerva's contributory meows in the background. Had me laughing so hard!
I've never watched fleabag, but I agree with all your observations. Persuasion is my fav JA, and I was horrified at this adaptation.
As a millennial that related to how Anne Elliot was in the book. This recharacterization really made me feel sad. Made me re-watch the 1995 version again though, so that's a positive .
As for the costumes, I feel like the decision to give Ann a different clothing style was to make everyone else in the story stand out or make her feel out of place, and they did this but not the way they wanted. Everyone in the story (especially her family) is supposed to be very frivolous and eccentric while making Ann feel like a bit of an outcast. In the movie Ann stands out not because she doesn't look like she belongs among the people that surround her but because she doesn't look like she belongs in the time period all together. Her costumes look like they were made by someone who was described what women in the regency period wore without actually looking at any references. They could've have her worn gowns with a similar structure as the other women except lacking the detail their dresses have, make her colour palette more monotone, mess up her hair a little. TLDR: the costume makers might have wanted to make Ann look like she doesn't belong in her family but instead they made her look like she doesn't belong in the 19th century.
i super agree with youuuu i can also tell the intention but the contrasts are too high. she looked like she just walked in on set. my biggest complain is the hair, it's way too casual 😭
Bang on about the Bridget Jones' clumsiness being outdated. Great commentary on the many faults, and well done for crediting its few positive points, too!
Absolutely, when she went to her bedroom with a bottle of red wine, I felt being transported in Bridget’s London apartment… 😱
Your review of this movie was totally spot-on. You put words to things that bothered me, but I couldn't explain. Off topic: If Minerva is talking more than usual, she may be trying to tell you something is wrong health-wise. When my cat got older her kidneys started to fail. She had also turned into a chatterbox when she never "spoke" before. This was the only indication. I think she was trying to tell me that she didn't feel well. If this is the case, please get Minerva checked out by her vet.
Thank you! Minerva has been like this since she was a kitten - she was fund in the street at just one week old and bottle-raised from then, so she is extremely attached to humans, very vocal and incredibly good at telling us exactly what she wants at any given moment. The meow in the video is the one that means "give me attention now, my favourite brush is just over here, why are you not brushing me right now?"
Same. After the godawful trailer I sat down with a bottle of red (and a glass - call me old-fashioned), prepared to hate-watch this movie, but I was still genuinely surprised: it was so, so much worse than I feared.
As you say, the dialogue was unbearable cringe. "Quite the upgrade...do you have the same trouble with spoons?" This pitiful banter is supposed to belong to the same character who writes The Letter. Really?! I kept remarking to myself in gobsmacked horror that a professional screenwriter was paid for this bilge.
It fails so badly as an adaptation that I find it hard to believe that the writers and director had read the book. Both Anne and Wentworth are thoroughly mangled in their characterisation. The social ineptness and gaucherie (the dinner outburst about Charles Musgrove, the octopus story to Lady Dalrymple) were the total opposite of Anne's thoughtful and considered interiority. They obviously had no interest in, or respect for, the character of Anne Elliot. The Louisa Musgrove character I found far more convincing as Anne: kind, thoughtful and considerate. And the actress playing Louisa had more chemistry with Cosmo Jarvis.
Speaking of which, I haven't seen Jarvis in anything else but his Wentworth had all the command and charisma of a bewildered badger. I don't even understand what they were going for with the character. His claim to fame in the Navy seemed to revolve around saving beached whales. Not, you know, capturing enemy ships as prizes in naval combat, which is only the source of his new wealth, after all. But we do learn that whenever he was in a pickle at sea - perhaps whilst leading hundreds of men in battle, that sort of thing - that he would ask himself how Anne would handle the situation, because she would have been a great admiral , don't you know? But of course he's against Teh Patriarchy, because we've also learned, most helpfully, that he "listens when women speak." With his "whole body", no less. This impersonation of a giant ear is "E-LEC-TRI-FY-ING", apparently. Just...WHAT?
I will take you to task on one thing. You've given Ronald Bass a deserved bashing for this garbage, but his co-writer was a young woman and the director Carrie Cracknell is an experienced director. They also let this happen and there's plenty of blame & shame to share with this disaster.
Fun Fleabag Fact: the actress playing Mrs. Harville also played Fleabag's friend Boo.
🤣🤣OMG yes!
Oh I didn't know that about the Boo actress! But then I am faceblind, so I never actually recognise people on TV even if I have seen them before.
Wentworth was so wooden and uncharismatic, he was painful to watch at times. Wannabe Darcy but without any of the charme.
You make a good point about Ronald Bass's co-writer Alice Victoria Winslow. And you might call me cynical, but when you have such a big name established screenwriter collaborating with a much younger female writer at the beginning of her career, I have no doubt about who calls the shots in that working relationship. Of course, we'll never really know who is more to blame for this disaster of a script, but it gives off strong "man writing women" vibes.
AMEN!
"And a glass (call me old fashioned)" 🤣🤣
I think what took my out of the movie basically instantly was the talking to the camera. the things she said to the audience weren't even relevant... like we could see that she was in pain and that she was struggling, but then she goes and tells us that she is in agony. Don't treat your audience like their dumb!
I haven't watched fleabag but from what you said I assume they do a much better job at using the technique to enhance the story... also fleabag as a unreliable narrator is giving a twist. But Anne just talked about her feelings and it felt like lazy film making. If I want to HEAR the story I would listen to the audiobook.....
Oh wow, I would love Phoebe Waller-Bridge to write an Austen adaptation! Any book. Any way she wants!
Yes please!
Yes, I want that to happen.
You're right! She acts like a time traveller. And that reminds me of Lost in Austen and Austenland. But then they should have made it as something like those films, as if real 21st century people coming somehow into a Regency Era scenery. In this case this strange alternative Anne character could have worked.
Another reviewer said she looks out of place because “She has a face that looks like she knows what a cell phone is.” 🤣 Pretty accurate. I’m not sure if it’s Dakota Fanning herself or how she was directed to act/look for this film, but yeah.
I wasn’t tempted to watch the adaptation when I checked it, but listening to you, I won’t watch it and I want to re-read the book.
Better use of your time, tbh
Good choice on your part…I only got 15 min into it and still will regret watching that for the rest of my life!
I had 0 expectations before watching this film, so I actually managed to enjoy it -well, by pretending it wasn't the same story. The best things that came out of this were Mary and Sir Elliot; also, I have to say, I think Dakota Johnson did a good job with what she was given (absolute garbage, that's what she was given).
I think they tried too much to do what Emma. (2020) did, but whereas it worked really well for that story, it really REALLY doesn't work for Persuasion.
Emma did it with so much sensitivity and attention to detail and that was just missing here.
I love Persuasion as a novel and am desperate for a good adaptation of it. This wasn’t it. I wanted to love it, but was just rolling my eyes. It was ok I suppose
How you recommend we watch Persuasion: Alone, in our rooms, with a bottle of red.
Which nowadays is even possible!
One other plus for this production was the music. Otherwise, I agree with your take on this. I didn’t realize that on of the writers was an 18year old boy…so much is explained! I really appreciated your insight that Northanger Abbey would have been better suited to this kind of attempt at modernization.
Minerva's contribution was essential. 😸
If they want to make a fun movie, why didn't they adapted Northanger Abbey? They massacred my girl Anne Elliot!
I had no desire to see this version of Persuasion at all, and now that's been confirmed. So I shall avoid it.
Why people want to try to modernise the characters' speech when they're obviously from an era far in the past is beyond me. I can understand wanting to make things appealing to modern audiences, but don't try to write as you think a younger generation would speak if you're not from that generation. I'm Gen X, but I wouldn't try to write as if I was a Millenial or Gen Y, or is it Z?
If someone wants to do a modern version of a classic, then set it in modern day with modern clothes and have a person of that generation write it, like they did with Clueless and Bridget Jones' Diary, which fit well in their time periods.
Anyway, thanks for this review. I'm glad that you let your cat have his/her say in the matter. That helped, too. Your cat is lovely and adorable.
The dialogue they had made up was so very cringeworthy! I actually thought the worst bits for that were Lady Russell and Anne’s conversations. 🙉 It was indeed like they dropped a really inferior Fleabag into the middle of “Persuasion”. It felt like a complete character assassination of Anne Elliot from start to finish. Book Anne is my favourite Austen heroine.
The scenery was nice.
“At that point they could have played the theme from countdown” 😂😂😂
🐇
It's such a shame, because Anne is such a good character in the book.
the 90s version is the only version i will recognise from here on out. that version was so true to the spirit of the book and so well cast and acted and just so wonderful. netflix version was a fucking disgrace tbh.
Persuasion is my favorite Jane Austen novel. I thought this film was a joke and ruined the whole idea that the book is about.
The scriptwriter clearly did their dialogue research by going through Gen Z memes on twitter. All the while not realising that no one actually speaks the way they do on twitter in real life
You put your finger right on it, it sounded like when corporations use memes unironically, completely missing all of the subtleties of online communication and thinking that's what Young People (TM) sound like offline.
"Fleabag " is a series that i might have enjoyed when I was a teenager- especially the naughty bits. Jane Austin's "Persuasion" on the contrary is a novel to be savored by reasonably mature readers who have some experience of Anne Elliot's disappointments and finally joy.The exquisite 1995 version with Amanda Root comes closest to
the feeling of the novel.
This is why people have been complaining about comics, star wars, star trek, dr who, and other media..
They are destroying many characters. And making other disrespectful decisions.
They see the IP as something to be squeezed dry
I have yet to see one reviewer who actually liked the new Persuasion movie...all this hate towards Hollywood (or Netflix in this case) trying to modernize a classic...and I am loving it! Why or why mess up a classic?
Loved your video and loved the way you communicate with your cat. It really made my day xx My cat looks exactly like yours and thanks for involving her in your video.
Aw thank you! She loves attention, and I swear she knows what the camera is. (As does my other cat, but he's shy so you rarely see him in videos)
Agreed on your analysis. With Anne’s costume choices: I thought they might also be going for a reference to how Kiera Knightly was dressed in Pride and Prejudice. They also dressed her differently from her sisters in some scenes, including a collared shirt and loose hair.
I thnk that Dakota Johnson seems like a really cool person, and I don't know that she is an entirely terrible actress. But boy oh boy has she played some shit roles in some terrible films.
I refuse to watch It as I love the novel and my heart belongs to the 95 BBC adaption with Ciran Hinds ❤️
As does mine💕🥺
Mine too.
They don’t need to modernize Jane Austen. Her characters are still relatable in modern day.
Watching this adaptation I had a feeling the makers WATCHED the previous adaptations, but never really READ the book. Plus the Fleabag-ization, for Americans wanted the battle of wits with British (and came unarmed). But maybe someone will read it after watching this flick, and it would be the best. Just read the book, kids.
One thing I quite liked: Anne Elliot said the things she would never ever say aloud, but should. And one scene justified her character: when she tells Benwick to fetch the doctor, and she sounds like a captain herself.
Overall, it wasn't unpleasant, it just wasn't good.
I’ll be giving this a pass, I couldn’t even sit through the trailer. What a pile of poo.
You know it's bad when a concept trailer for a Pride and Prejudice spin-off book (Wickham's Second Attempt) is better than a Netflix trailer #wickhamssecondattempt
I haven't seen this Persuasion adaptation, or Fleabag, but really enjoyed this review. Great arguments and you didn't hold back.
I haven’t watched the film- but how did they cut Mrs Smith? Like she’s critical to the plot and to Anne’s characterisation!
Filmmakers and screenwriters need to stop underestimating audiences. People can understand a script even if there are no memes or references to pop culture in it
I haven't seen the movie, but it sounds like someone needs to call Thursday Next to sort this out.
Louisa was quite mature for her age in this movie which is a complete failure to understand the book Louisa. The point of Louisa was to be a counterpart of Anne, in which she was open and charming but lacked good judgment while Anne is calmed and collected and with a good head above her shoulders. The actress for Louisa is so charming you cannot help to like her but it was a really bad characterization of the book character, and in my opinion, the greatest indicator that the writers of this atrocious movie COMPLETELY missed the point of the whole book.
Ugh, I fucking hate this movie and the stupid boomer that wrote it.
They tried to use the bridgerton magic with a color blind casting. It doesn't work that way though.
She called her father narcissistic. I’m pretty sure that wasn’t a label in general use in 1805. I think we had to wait for Freud for that. Cringeworthy.
Hi Claudia, I love how you do analysis. It almost makes me want to watch the Netflix version of persuasion. But since persuasion is my favorite Jane Austen novel, I think I’ll pass. Fleabag was one of my surprise hits of that season and I wouldn’t want to see that was spoiled either. Hugs and aloha
Yes! This!!! The title of this video is exactly what I thought when I saw someone making the comparison in a Facebook comment (I wasn’t aware many others had, even professional writers - yikes!!). I have so much love for both Persuasion and Fleabag, but that movie is an insult to both!
How to underestimate your audience -- and achieve even less. Anne's hair and costumes were terrible, but they fit in with this film's approach: SHE's Not Like Other Girls. She's before her time, and so wacky!
I guess about 2 years ago I finally crossed the line from 'oh great I must watch this it might be good' to checking out the promo and going 'ah no I am not watching that as the chances I am going to be disturbed in some way are very very high and just not worth the risk.
My god that film is painful to hear about let alone watch 😂😂 I'm glad I convinced my friend not to give it a try. I'm sending this to her as a "See, I was right" token 😂
Thank you for saying it like it is. This version of Persuasion certainly went against the grain of all Austen’s nuances and fine, timeless writing❣️
How could you even have sat through that piece of junk? I only made it about 10 minutes in... You're amazing. Thank you.
I haven't read Persuasion and had never seen the movie before. Yet even I stopped after 10 minutes and found another version just so I wouldn't go out of my mind. If they wanted to make a modern version, then they should have done so, ala` 10 Things I Hate About You (a modern version of Shakespeare's "A Taming of The Shrew.") That would have been something I could understand. But, no. Apparently they lack the imagination and wit to carry off such a stretch. Maybe this is the result of an entire generation not reading...? I don't mean NO ONE reads. But, clearly, many people in Hollywood never read a book. They watch videos and clips and read synopses and reviews. But they never sit down and actually READ. I knew it would start catching up to us one day.
16:45 - Magic Trick
Thank you for your review. I also watched while under the weather. It was not comforting.
The amazing disappearing cat, torn between wanting attention and also wanting to wriggle.
They missed the boat on hair and fashion for Anne
I am like you as Persuasion isn’t my favourite Austen but this movie was just horrible and it completely ignored the real Anne Elliott in favour of modernised trash. Can’t say I’m surprised but it is still very disappointing as this novel was due another adaptation. It deserves much better than this.
The Fleabag-like camera stares remind me a little of the 2007 Persuasion movie, so maybe that's why they picked Persuasion? Even though it's not the same thing at all but it's all I can think of because the Netflix version of Anne Elliott is more of a Fleabag-esque version of Elizabeth Bennett rather than any other Austen heroine, especially not canon Anne.
If they wanted to do something with Persuasion, I think a prequel to the novel would have been a more interesting thing to explore - Anne and Frederick's first meeting and beginning of their relationship, I was always curious about that tbh.
they literally let dakota johnson keep her own hairstyle. why didn't they just give her an updo or make her wear bonnets, it's fucking beyond me?? it bothers me SO much. i also laughed when you made the comparison between fleabag's guinea pig and anne's rabbit hahajs
All the reviews of this new Persuasion I’ve watched have convinced me to watch fleabag.
A lot of people have been saying Northanger Abbey would have suited this sort of adaptation much better.
Agreed on I think all points!
I have had problems watching movies and shows after the pandemic started. There’s something about being so passively entertained that makes me squirm in my seat. Like it makes isolation more obvious. So I’m glad to automatically skip it.
Well, I enjoyed the film. Luckily I had seen the trailer, and was prepared for disappointment (for once a trailer was spot on!), and they do say clearly "based on Persuasion", so I just relaxed and saw it not as an adaptation, but as fan fiction. I would only have ommitted her blurting out that comment about Charles proposal, that was just mean to her sister. But the rest was fun, I loved being surprised by everything they changed, and Mary and Mr Elliot were just wonderful. Still, not sure what its rewatchability potential will be. (Oh, haven't seen Fleagbag, but I definitely got Bridget Jones vibes all the way.) Edit to add: Persuasion is my favourite Jane Austen novel. The novel is always going to be there for us to read, and I hope someone makes a very good direct adaptation for the younger generation, but we still have the 1995 one after all :D )
I think they switched Anne with Lydia.
I already cringe at the ridiculous "Miss Austen Regrets" as Jane behaves nothing like how Austen would never have. Same with Fanny, her niece. It's so gross how uncivilized they are for their time period and breeding.
They truly should have done an inspired film like Clueless or 10 Things I Hate About You. The 180 on Anne's character would still not be great but we could think this was a story that just took the premise of the story. This film made me question the writing professionals. How using "modern" terms like "here is the playlist he gave to me" and "my sister is a complete narcissist'" was just unbearable. Bridgerton and even 2005 P&P demonstrated how one can make the project modern without adding "I'm hip with the youth" dialogue. Bridgerton did this with the aesthetic and music. 2005 P&P put the story in a later period and put a more modern family dynamic to the Bennets. Whoever is writing these scripts does not use the other senses to express what is happening in the film. They use dialogue to feed the audience answers or attempting to make them believe something when actions say otherwise. Capturing everyone's idea of a character is impossible. But they changed Anne to the point of being almost unrecognizable but say she is the book Anne by other characters saying she has traits. An example of this is when people said she was "the kindest" person but she literally blurted that her sister was her brother in law's second choice after she refused him.
persuasion you could NEVER be emma (2020)
I haven’t read the book but now I def will, if nothing else just to be able to critique the film. Thanks for this!! 💐
You won't regret it!
I read the book. And I loved the filmed. I thought that the film did an excellent job with describing all the characters and I loved Anne both in the book I felt like she was very relatable especially how she is a people pleaser and her awkwardness was great. I never felt like Anne had a personality in the books except for her crush on Frederick but the film showed her personality and she was so relatable to me and I loved how she was still crushing on Frederick and yet she couldn’t communicate with him and vice versa. I felt like they completely got the book and correct in the film. Also just because your imagination of the book is different then everyone else is okay because when you read a book your vision of it is yours alone and others are not going to be the same. Why does the adaption have to be exactly how you imagined it ? Did you write the screen play or were you asked to give your input on the film ? I am sick and tired of people hating a film when it doesn’t fit the vision that they imagined in their head. Also when reading a book it’s like the character is telling you the story so when Anne talks to the camera it’s like one was reading the book themselves. Also the chemistry between Anne and Frederick is so obvious with the longing looks and how they want to say so much more to each other yet they can’t communicate with each other. I feel like watching the film gives one a great visualisation of the book. After watching the film I completely understand the book now. Also I learned that Anne’s family in the book is just horrible and I don’t blame her for finally leaving with Frederick and the film did that justice.
"were you asked to give your input on the film ?"
You do understand the concept of a review video, yes?
This version is fresh and fun! Comparing it to Fleabag is pointless because having the leading character break the fourth wall was going on as far back as the '96 adaptation of Moll Flanders! I really enjoyed this new take on Austen's novel - the heroine is spirited and charming, Captain Wentworth is genuinely sensitive and the 'colour blind' casting is something I want to see more and more of. Austen's book will always be there - just think of this as a 'riff' on a main theme! :-)
Except this spirited and charming heroine is the exact opposite of the story's main character. And since she's so opposite the inciting event would have never happened.
Anne was persuaded not to marry Wentworth, despite her great love for him, by pressure from her family and society. Wentworth was deemed not good enough for her as he was not from landed gentry.
This Anne has no respect or regard for her families opinions and constantly flouts societal norms. So .... WHY would this Anne say no? She wouldn't so the central plot / conflict of the movie is completely unbelievable.
This is the first time I’ve seen one of your videos and was very entertained! I haven’t gotten around to watching Persuasion yet but when you quoted the “dancing alone in my room with a bottle of red” line I inexplicably imagined a Jokeresque scene with Dakota Johnson dancing instead of Joaquin Phoenix and honestly that would’ve been funny as fuck.
Persuasion is my favorite Austen so I could only watch a couple of minutes of the movie 🤯
The only Bridgerton comparison is the diverse casting.
I have no idea why Anne was dressed in black a lot in the movie. I guess they wanted to make her look depressed, but she looked like she was mourning. She went to see aristocracy in a black dress?! Wtf was that?! Her sister liked looking good next to her, but there’s no way she would’ve allowed her to go in a black dress!
So many things wrong with this movie 😩
@13:15 - OMG - is that an actual outfit that they put Anne Elliott in for the movie?
YES! She wears so many shirts. It's so bizarre, especially since all the other characters around her look like they might at least be actually from that era and then she shows up in a button-up and a beret.
@@SpinstersLibrary It defies logic!! LOL I am choosing to skip this one. I rewatched the beautiful 1996 version this weekend in protest. Of course, lovely as always. Thank you for this octopus-arrific review!!
Dakota needs to choose her parts better. I agree about the hair. She was being Dakota, not Anne. I took notice of that. And Wentworth? There was something off I thought that I couldn’t put my finger on. I thought Dakota’s acting was pretty good considering the character the movie wants for her to project, but she could have worked with her accent better.
The stubble, the rags he wore? He was supposed to be a man who made his fortune, but instead we got a middling farmer? Robert Martin looks better dressed and groomed in Emma.
I have so many conflicting thoughts on this movie - I appreciate your perspective as the "intended audience" for the film. I'm pretty sure they weren't trying to make it appealing to a mid-40s year old man, LOL... I did a review too but I'm still conflicted on the movie. I guess I come down to - it's a bad adaptation but an ok film that took some elements from Austen but made their own film. Wait, the script actually sounds like one of those stories that are written by AI...
I wish Miranda would get the credit - Fleabag was obviously heavily influenced by her and its a shame the writer hasnt admitted to that or given credit where credits due