December 06, 2009.

Just wretched..

Rating: 1
Persuasion is my favorite Austen novel, so this movie was pure butchery to me. The story, the characters, the charm, all of it was lost in what felt to me like a rushed attempt to make Persuasion-lite. The only reason I watched this movie all the way through is I kept thinking it had to get better, but it just devolved. The only good thing I can say about the film is to agree with everyone who has the sense of sight that Rupert Penry-Jones is a beautiful man, but he is given nothing to do in this movie except stand around looking good with all the expressiveness of a gorgeous stone.

December 29, 2008.

entertaining if not a stickler.

Rating: 4
As a huge Jane Austin collector/fan I would like to put in my 3 cents worth. Ive read them all and have the dvd's 2 of some (p&P) and if there is anything I can say is.,..never judge a DVD by the book, you will not enjoy it if you do.
very seldom will you find a screen play that is true to the book.It is not the same medium and cannot always be presented the same and then there is time constraints.I loved this particlar version and yes it could have been more like the former one (I did not care for the male lead)which was more true to the book. however it worked. I love Anthony Head as the arrogant and snobbish father, as a avid reader of period romace novels he rang true to what ive always pictured the upperclass of that period.
And how could you not like Penry Jones..he had what I call.. The Look..
(colin Firth has it) all in all as a whole I enjoyed it and have it in my Jane Austin collection.
As I said enjoy them all, dont compare them against each other but think of them as individuals, each a different perspective of different people.

December 12, 2008.

Another Good Persuasion.

Rating: 4
If you like Jane Austen you will like this movie! It is different from the other version of Persuasion but yet it still moves you as Persuasion does. Other than some camera action that might occasionally give you a headache, it is great. Definitely worth being in your J.A. Library!

December 01, 2008.

Emotionally charged.

Rating: 5
No, it's not quite like the book. Is any movie as great as the book? I, too, enjoyed the earlier film version of this. The lighting and scenery are more beautiful than this one. However, I really enjoyed this version. The ordinary way it was presented made it feel more real, like I was there instead of watching a movie. I'm not an Austen expert, but having read the book I thought it captured the spirit of it. Captain Wentworth was SMOKIN', plus I identified with Anne immediately. It ended wonderfully despite the marathon Anne ran, and the kiss was worth the hour spent. The acting is good, the story is great, it's a good time to be had by all. If you are a purist go spend the time reading the novel, but if you want a relaxing hour of well written characters and a heart-wrenching story you've come to the right place.

December 27, 2008.

Hmmm....

Rating: 4
Well, I haven't read the book yet, so I can't say from personal experience how accurate this adaption is, but I've heard there are serious liberties taken. As an ignorant viewer, however, I thought the movie was pretty good. The only things the were irksome were: 1) Sally Hawkins. I didn't dislike her portrayal of Anne Elliot, but there were things that bothered me: for example, she seems to be constantly kind of wavering, or on the brink of panic, or something. I just got tired of her little panting, helpless moments. This leads to the second (and more serious) annoyance: 2) The Kiss. I don't want to give anything away, but seriously, that kiss made me feel slightly sick. Actually, the whole last ten minutes or so were a bit problematic.
Aside from these little issues, though, I really enjoyed the movie. Rupert Penry-Jones is smokin' as the hero and, besides her little hesitancy issues, Sally Hawkins is a very good Anne. I would say if you're a die-hard Jane fan, you might not like this adaption so much, but as an ignorant viewer like myself, you'll probably find this a pretty enjoyable film.