by Samuel Nichols, Contributing Writer
How do I know that Netflix is scrapped for any kind of preexisting property to attach their brand to? Because they took the story of Persuasion and attached quotes to it that you would find on TikTok. Congratulations, Silicon Valley people, because you have reached a new level of desperation.
Persuasion is a retelling of the 1817 Jane Austen novel of the same name. Anne Elliot (Dakota Johnson) is a young woman who has lived in regret for several years after turning down a marriage proposal from Frederick Wentworth (Cosmo Jarvis). In the time since, Wentworth became a high-ranking naval officer and has returned to visit the area near Anne. The two struggle with remaining cordial and balancing their complicated feelings for each other. Anne’s best counsel is her sister Mary (Mia McKenna-Bruce) and Lady Russell (Nikki Amuka-Bird). There are other prospects for Anne’s attention, namely her cousin William Elliot (Henry Golding), and he has nefarious plans up his sleeves too. Finally, she has to navigate the waters her pompous and broke father Sir Walter Elliot (Richard E. Grant) has put their family in due to his excessive spending. It is a complicated life she has to live with different obligations and priorities pulling her one way while her heart pulls her another.
I want to talk about the star of this movie first. Johnson has had an interesting career up to this point, with the 50 Shades of Grey trilogy being her main calling card. Her delivery of most of the jokes or witty lines seems on par with a Twilight-era Kristen Stewart. While I do like her in something like Bad Times at the El Royale, she does not have the comedic chops or charm to lead a movie like this. She is adequate, though, and does not distract from the overall movie. The rest of the cast is fine for the most part, but no one stands out.
One thing I have to give credit to Persuasion for is the beautiful locations we visit. There are a few forest and cliffside walks that make me want to visit these areas of England. It adds to the calming feel of the movie to see the characters in such scenic locations. Perhaps that emotion is creates is the best thing the movie has going for it: a light and breezy feel. The story really is not all that complicated and is not much different than other works of Austen. But if you just relax and let the plot unfold, you do find yourself caring for these characters and having a good time.
I have to go back to a large question though: why do we keep going back to the same well with some of these stories? I understand the classic appeal, but it seems like we are just beating them to death. Did you know this is the seventh adaptation of Persuasion made for TV or film since 1960? And that’s not even the most adaptations for one of Austen’s novels! Pride and Prejudice has been adapted 12 times for the silver and big screens combined, and Emma has been adapted seven times. Of course, Austen is a celebrated and nigh iconic author, whose work is to be preserved. But I think if the film industry is grow and for movies to become more like works of art, we need more original stories. We cannot keep going back to the well because then the material will become dried up. 2022’s Persuasion is an example of that drying up.
Score: 6/10