Pros: Honestly, it is hard to find a solid pro about this film, but the acting wasn't bad (not great either) so I don't really know what to put here as not even the plot was something I could fully get behind. However, the sets were great and I liked the song at the end. Yeah, pulling at straws here.
Cons: Okay, my time to shine. While I normally love Jane Austen's film adaptations (see 1995's Sense and Sensibility), this time, the plot wasn't thrilling, I didn't find the characters engaging and many were downright annoying and even the dialogue wasn't particularly great as there was far too little witty banner between William (Henry Goulding) and Anne (Dakota Johnson). Some of the costumes seemed out of place and while the viewer needed stuff explained, the narration was odd and over used. Though Frederick Wentworth (Cosmo Jarvis) is supposed to be the male hero, he's certainly one of her dullest characters and honestly, I didn't find Anne to be that interesting as she's heartbroken for much of the first half of the film and then struggles to figure out where her true feelings lie and her support system was weak at best. Her two sisters were total tools but at least her nephews were cute and though I thought she was going to end up with William, he was hellbent to ruin her father's (Richard E. Grant's) happiness just so he could inherit the estate.
Recommend: Doubtful
Grade: B-
Side Notes:
-Dakota Johnson does alright as the British heroine.
-She also has a pet bunny for unknown reasons.
-Of course in every good Austen novel, the heroine suffers a change in fortune, this film is no exception.
-Jam makes a good mustache, in a pinch.
-Marriage was considered purely transactional.
-As in Bridgerton, color blind casting (keeping the families the same) is used, to solid success.
-How does Frederick get out of his engagement to Louisa (Nia Towle)?
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