This is the first adaption of Jane Austen's Persuasion that I have watched, so I am judging it solely off its representation of the book, with no reference to any other film interpretations.
There are not any particular spoilers below, I just wanted to be on the safe side.
I was really disappointed on the whole when I watched it. In fact, I started making note every time something happened in the film that did not happen in the book. I am very familiar with the book, having read it many times, as it is a favourite of mine.
Anne's character was distorted in an unflattering way, Captain Wentworth was not explored enough in depth. His relationship with Anne, both past, and current was distorted. The section of the film that took place in Bath was really quite terrible. There were a number of events that were distorted in an impractical, unrealistic way, and quite unnecessarily.
I did not like the way the characters were given lines in the film that took the place of the narrator in the book. This was obviously a tool used to impart the information shared by the narrator in the book, but it was just another distortion.
Sir Walter was really the redeeming feature of this film, I thought Anthony Head portrayed him very well. I found Sally Hawkins as Anne to be not likable enough, and not accurate of Austen's Anne. Anne was sweet, and gentle, with a hint of faded prettiness. Hawkins' Anne merely came across as awkward, spinsterly and dumpy. I could not see anything in her that would have made a young Captain Wentworth fall in love with her, for she was supposed to have been quite pretty when she 'bloomed' when she was younger. Rupert Penry-Jones was fair enough as Captain Wentworth, but not overwhelming or compelling.
The viewing was not a complete waste of time, but I won't be watching it again, or recommending to anyone, if they want an accurate representation of the book. It does not measure up to other film interpretations of Austen's other works, by far.
There are not any particular spoilers below, I just wanted to be on the safe side.
I was really disappointed on the whole when I watched it. In fact, I started making note every time something happened in the film that did not happen in the book. I am very familiar with the book, having read it many times, as it is a favourite of mine.
Anne's character was distorted in an unflattering way, Captain Wentworth was not explored enough in depth. His relationship with Anne, both past, and current was distorted. The section of the film that took place in Bath was really quite terrible. There were a number of events that were distorted in an impractical, unrealistic way, and quite unnecessarily.
I did not like the way the characters were given lines in the film that took the place of the narrator in the book. This was obviously a tool used to impart the information shared by the narrator in the book, but it was just another distortion.
Sir Walter was really the redeeming feature of this film, I thought Anthony Head portrayed him very well. I found Sally Hawkins as Anne to be not likable enough, and not accurate of Austen's Anne. Anne was sweet, and gentle, with a hint of faded prettiness. Hawkins' Anne merely came across as awkward, spinsterly and dumpy. I could not see anything in her that would have made a young Captain Wentworth fall in love with her, for she was supposed to have been quite pretty when she 'bloomed' when she was younger. Rupert Penry-Jones was fair enough as Captain Wentworth, but not overwhelming or compelling.
The viewing was not a complete waste of time, but I won't be watching it again, or recommending to anyone, if they want an accurate representation of the book. It does not measure up to other film interpretations of Austen's other works, by far.