Warning! Spoilers ahead for Netflix’s Persuasion!
Few films have garnered such an impressive collection of negative reviews as Netflix’s Persuasion, which makes it all the more flabbergasting that the film broke Netflix’s Top 10. Premiering for the streaming giant on July 15th, Persuasion quickly rose in the ranks and even nabbed Netflix’s number one spot before the Russo brothers’ uber-expensive The Gray Man debuted July 22nd and blasted everything else out of the water. However, the riddle remains as to how the Regency-era romance continues to claim the flighty attention of streamers, given its bad rap.
Based on Jane Austen’s classic novel by the same name, Persuasion stars Dakota Johnson as Anne Elliot. The story begins seven years after Elliot has fallen in love and gotten engaged to a young naval officer, Frederick Wentworth (Cosmo Jarvis), only to be persuaded to break the engagement due to Wentworth’s lack of money and station. Elliot still regrets her decision when Wentworth returns a Captain, and the pair are thrown into the same social circles again. Wentworth, still angry and hurt by Elliot’s decision, begins to court another, as does Elliot (her cousin, Mr. Elliot, played by Crazy, Rich Asians star Henry Golding) until they renew their love for one another, and all is made right in the end.
The contention for the film seems to arise from the idea that Netflix’s adaptation betrays Austen’s original work. Critics and viewers alike have complained that Johnson’s Elliot is too plucky, the film’s updated dialogue too contemporary, and the film’s style ill-suited for the story. However, for those who have not read (or have not loved) Jane Austen's Persuasion, there is a lot to like about Netflix’s adaptation which, taken at face value, delivers an enjoyable rom-com with gorgeous locations, sets, and costumes, along with a hilarious leading lady.
Netflix's Persuasion Is A Top 10 Rom-Com
Set during England’s Regency Era (well known to Bridgerton viewers), Netflix’s Persuasion was primarily filmed in and around Bath, England, and even featured locations seen in Bridgerton. Adding to the visual feast, Persuasion’s sets are lush, the costumes are gorgeous, and the cinematography is stunning. So, while Netflix’s Persuasion may have Austen devotees outraged, the film is attractive just by being… attractive.
However, the film’s harshest criticism seems to stem not from what Netflix’s Persuasion maintained from Austen’s work but what it changed. Many claim that Persuasion’s updated heroine, Elliot, is a betrayal of Austen’s original character. As Persuasion was Austen’s last novel, Elliot is far more reserved and mature than Austen’s other heroines like the fresh-faced and quick-witted Emma and Elizabeth. Persuasion is among Austen’s lesser-known and less-read novels, with the writer's "big three" often regarded as Emma, Pride and Prejudice, and Sense & Sensibility (via The Washington Post). As a result, many viewers are likely coming to Netflix’s Persuasion unaware of the problems and departures from the source material.
Considering this, it can be assumed that Netflix’s Persuasion broke the top 10 because viewers are unaware of what they are missing or simply don’t care. As the movie has been overwhelmingly compared to Amazon’s hit series, Fleabag, and is reminiscent of Netflix’s top-performer, Bridgerton, it seems Persuasion’s popularity is due to it simply being a fun film. So, while perhaps not the movie for classic-literature connoisseurs, Persuasion is still an enjoyable rom-com for anti-Austenites.
Persuasion is available to stream on Netflix.