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Rating:  - I can't believe BBC was a part of this version!
The fact that the cast is better looking in this '08 version cannot make up for the complete meltdown of the story in the second half of this version. The first half of the movie is true to the book. Once Anne arrives in Bath, the story strays away from Jane Austen's novel. Anne's friend Mrs. Smith and her vital role is completely diminished and you barely even realize who she is, since she isn't an invalid in this movie either. Also one of my favorite parts of this whole story is skipped, Wentworth doesn't ever write Anne a hurried letter containing his true feelings. I don't understand why they couldn't have tacked on 20 more minutes and made this version live up to Austen's novel. Very poor adaptation!
Rating:  - My Favoritte Jane Austin story
I now have both the 1994 version and the 2007 version. I love this story. The cast is wonderful, and the adaptation is great. I missed the showing of Persuasion on PBS, but I understand they cut a lot of the important parts. If you saw the PBS version, you have to see the DVD to see what you missed. It will make more sense.
Rating:  - Lovely adaptation
As an avid period drama viewer and having seen the 1995 version I am very happy with this adaptation. It was well done with the time restraints and very much possessed the romantic tension that Fredrick and Anne had. Very subtly done and developed nicely. The main characters are much lovelier than the 1995 version and Rupert Penry Jones is a dashing Fredrick. Overall I enjoyed this very much and is a treasure in my collection.
Rating: - Judge for yourself
The reviews for this movie are quite mixed. I myself loved the movie. As much as I enjoyed the version with Amanda Root, I felt it was difficult to follow. This version was much easier to follow and the characters easier to relate to. I enjoyed it immensely. I would urge anyone considering watching it to do so, then judge for themselves. I would have given it 5 stars, except for the scene in the end where Anne is seen running back and forth through Bath to meet with Capt. Wentworth. I don't believe that is true to her character. She was far too reserved for such a display of emotion, and her position in life would never have allowed it. I have not read the book, however, and maybe completely off the mark in this, but I thought the scene a bit ridiculous. As a whole, I thought the movie sweet and romantic; a charming display of chivalry, gallantry, and honor. The speech patterns to be poetic and touching and the costumes and sets rich in beauty. This is a great movie, watch it with a friend and be prepared to be left speechless for a time while you lose yourself in a different, more dignified and elegant era.
Rating: - Wonderful Movie in Context
This is my favorite movie. I've watched it nearly ten times in the few weeks I've owned it. I have read and appreciated all of Jane Austen's work.
Many critics site the movie's artistic liscense where it deviates from the book in particular ways. I watched an interview with the director who answered critics and literary fans of Jane Austen's cry "Where is the rest of the book?" with this "It's in the book." This film adaptation does move very quickly and has been pared down to the quintesential love story between Anne and Wentworth. For the runtime deemed suitable, characters are developed as much as possible, but being an Austen work, there are a lot of characters and withouth it being several hours long a great deal of character development is done by having to pay close attention to the conversations between characters in each scene.
This film has afforded me the opportunity to introduce Jane Austen and this particular work, often overshadowed by her others, Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility with my friends and husband, who would never think to crack open her books. For that I am profoundly grateful. This adaptation of Persuasion lies in the middle of two territories. The first being completely acurate and true to the novel and filmed with all the conventions of Austen's time and customs honored making for a sometimes pushing the viewer to a purely auditory enjoyment and the other end of the spectrum where it has been too modernized, characters doing things unheard of the time, big grandeous high budget filming, etc.
Where in the middle it falls should be up to the viewer to decide, but it is definently worth viewing. DIe hard Austen fans should not let the deviations destroy the appreciation that Austen's work has again found a new voice in a new decade and those new to Austen or Persuasion who will no doubt enjoy the love story, scenery, and interplay between the characters just might find themselves wanting to pick up the book, and find out what all the movie left out.
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