Persuasion by Jane Austen (movie review)

Last night I watched the PBS Masterpiece Theater showing of Persuasion, starring Sally Hawkins (Anne Elliot) and Rupert Penry-Jones (Captain Wentworth). I think I enjoyed this one a little more than the 1995 version. Although I re-read Persuasion back in June, I thought I’d add this to my Read the Book, See the Movie Challenge. Persuasion is one of my very favorite Austen stories. I love the whole plot idea of two people falling in love and because of stupid family interference they are unable to be together. Eight years pass and they are reunited. Unclear on how they feel about one another they kind of dance around the issue and because of that they encounter a few misunderstandings before they are finally brave enough to confess their true feelings and are FINALLY able to be together. I love the cast of characters as well, especially Anne’s family, who are all ridiculous in their own ways.

I really liked the casting of Capt. Wentworth; I thought he did an excellent job. I thought Anne was okay, for some reason she seemed a little drab in the movie. I guess I would have preferred a little more personality from her. Even though this was made in 2007, it still has a really old-fashioned feel to it. I kind of wish they would make them a little more modern, like the Keira Knightly Pride & Prejudice version, which still had the period charm to it, but was filmed with a more modern feel.