Yes, there is another Jane Austen adaptation; you’re probably not surprised by that information at all. However, this particular adaptation of Persuasion has caused quite the ruckus online. So why is that? What makes this Netflix adaptation different from all other adaptations and so abhorred? Well, the film definitely modernizes the story a bit (changing things form the novel and reimagining characters, adjusting its tone while maintaining its setting) which is not particularly an issue, but can be for some fans. The film also has chosen to format its story in quite an interesting way.
Persuasion is not all bad though. The story itself, while not faithful to Austen’s story, is well told and despite all the negative comments online has garnered some fans. Not every adaptation needs to be done the same way, especially with Jane Austen novels where the stories have been told and retold so many times. It is not a bad idea to change up the story a little with adaptations; it can be quite popular, such as how 10 Things I Hate About You is a modern retelling of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. This very different adaptation is beloved but sometimes changing so much about the original content can cause viewers to despise the piece, such as may be the case with Persuasion.
What Did the Persuasion Adaptation Get Right?
This adaptation of Persuasion is not perfect, to be frank; hardly any book-to-movie adaptation of a beloved title is. Jane Austen’s novels have been loved by readers as long as they have been around, and thus many filmmakers have tried to adapt them for the screen. Each individual adaptation has its own pieces that make it good. In 2022’s Persuasion, it seems to be the more overt feminism that Dakota Johnson emanates. Austen’s novels are feminist in their own ways, especially for the time they were written, but feminism grows and changes as time and people do.
This version of Persuasion strives to meld modern feminism and the period piece elements of Austen’s original novel. The story was modernized to appeal to modern audiences who may have not been previously interested in Austen period piece stories. Not everyone may feel that this was done successfully, or that Johnson’s character (who is often obnoxious and hysterical, in stark contrast to the character in the source novel) is a good representative of feminism. The ability to combine modern lingo and feminist ideology with a novel from 1817 is a challenge, and the fact that Persuasion even attempted that in the first place is a win.
Also, while Mr. Elliot is incredibly different from the novel’s characterization of him, Henry Golding’s performance is great. As Slate writes, “Henry Golding’s performance shows how this film might have succeeded if it decided to go in a new direction that was only inspired by the book, rather than trampling on it.”
What Did the Persuasion Adaptation Get Wrong?
There are quite a few elements of this film that viewers disliked. First, there is the fact that many viewers feel Dakota Johnson was miscast in her role, and have felt so since her involvement was announced. It is hard to determine if this actually affected how people feel about the film as a whole (or if it’s just the script and dialogue she has to perform), but it does act as another negative element that this film must carry. Johnson can be a great actress, but is not always the perfect fit.
The biggest gripe that fans seem to have is the Fleabag-style dialogue and wall-breaks that plays a large part in the film. Johnson often talks to the camera as if it is another character in the film. This style of breaking the fourth wall is nothing new, but was perhaps recently done best in the show Fleabag, and thus pieces that choose to break the fourth wall are now always compared to the show that mastered it.
In theory, this could have worked very well in the film and helped vastly in conjunction with the modernization of the piece and appeal to audiences. However, this did not exactly work the way the production team probably would have liked. Fans greatly disliked the breaking of the fourth wall in Persuasion and how it was handled, and instead of differentiating the film from other adaptations, it just gave viewers another reason to hate it.
Should You Watch the New Adaptation?
You should always watch something for yourself and form your own opinions. If Jane Austen adaptations aren’t your cup of tea, then Persuasion was probably never on your watch list to begin with, and that is okay. However, if you are rethinking watching the film because of the backlash in a “so bad it’s good” way, we would recommend not doing so; it’s not that fun.
If you adore Jane Austen adaptations and love to see different takes on the classic novels, you should still give Persuasion a chance, even if it may be one of the most critically reviled adaptations of her work. Maybe watch the movie with friends and a lot of snacks; in case you do hate it, then you can all joke about it together. But don’t let the internet tell you not to watch something that you could love. Art is subjective, and just because most people dislike something, that doesn’t mean there’s no validity to the minority. So if this new adaptation of Persuasion really piques your interest at any point, please still give it a watch and form your own opinion, whether you love it or hate it.