I was disappointed in this movie. I found the storyline hard to follow, and often the dialog was spoken so fast that I could not decipher what the actors were saying. And, I know it's a side issue, but I was really put off by the hairdo of the heroine. She never seemed really appealing enough to draw the hero's attention. I wanted to like this movie, but I just could not get there.

Although Rupert Penry-Jones is quite handsome - more attractive than Ciaran Hines - I found Sally Hawkins poorly cast in this version. Amanda Root is a much better Anne. In this version Sally's 'acting' was basically sighing her way through the story. The film went quickly without jeopardizing Jane Austen's storyline. But Sally Hawkins ruined it for me - especially the longed awaited kiss that focused on her mucus laden teeth. Yuck!

Having watched the PBS release of Persuasion, I found out that the film was heavily edited from the BBC version. When I asked PBS about this, I received a response that cited "time constraints" as a reason for this abomination. Shame on PBS. Whether or not this version is the original or not, I do not know.

***Spoiler*** Since when does Captain Wentworth buy Kellynch for Anne? I was cringing. Did the producers read the book? I was hoping for something a bit better. The version with Amanda Root is pitch perfect. They were silly to try and improve upon perfection.

Although this version is easier to follow than the Amanda Root/Ciaran Hines edition, I really did not care for it. It moved too fast, and just wasn't as believable. Did not care for Rupert-Penry Jones as Captain Wentworth.Glimpses into Anne's thoughts and diaries really help viewers understand the intricacies of her relationship with Wentworth, but there just wasn't any chemistry in the film.Glad we bought the Amanda Root/Ciaran Hines version.

I love this book and love everything Jane Austen. I am a huge fan of the 1995 version and I had really high hopes for this BBC masterpiece theatre version. But sadly, I was very disappointed. The characters were unbelievable and the screenplay was horrid. The casting of this production was poorly done. None of the sailors looked like weathered sailors that went through a war! The acting was sub-par and the plot seems all over the place. Captain Wentworth was good key candy but that is not enough to save this movie. I basically cringed through the entire 2 hours or so and I actually covered my eyes at the ending. The most painful scene for me wasn't the running but the actual kiss at the end...It was so incredibly painful to watch!! Sigh...I really really wanted to like this film.