Sally Hawkins was lovely as Anne, and I frankly enjoyed her turn at the character much better than the dour man-faced Amanda Root. Both Anne an Capt. Wentworth are much more age appropriate to the book. In the 95 version Anne looks like a dour faced 40 year old spinster with a bad wig, and the capt looks like a grizzled old 50 something master chief who drank and whored his way through every port call.I liked the much disputed running scene. It showed the depth of her love and how she was willing to defy conventions to rectify her past mistake with the man she truly loves. Wentworth probably should have kissed her a little more quickly, instead of leaving her hanging there expectantly. A good movie, and a perfectly fine adaptation of a book that would require 8 hours to truly adapt, and as a result would have only hardcore Austen fans watching it.

For any book purist there is much to nitpick about this version of Persuasion. Filled with odd script and directorial choices which include Anne breaking the fourth wall and staring into the camera, a determination to make the film visually dour, and a last minute long-take sequence that borders on the sheer absurd, it is nevertheless anchored by some fabulous acting and chemistry. And isn't that all we really want from an Austen adaptation? Sally Hawkins plays Anne Elliot, a 27 year old spinster from a wealthy family who was once engaged to the handsome but titleless Frederick Wentworth. Years later Anne is now considered withered, plain and doomed to spinsterhood (Regency England was so harsh to 27 year old women!). On top of it all her impractical and vain father has squandered much of the family fortune. Into this mess ventures Wentworth, as handsome as ever and now graced with a fortune that makes him a very eligible suitor indeed. Everything seems cold between Anne and Wentworth and she resigns herself to watching him marry a much younger woman... but sparks fly between the old lovers and hope grows in Anne again. The story is one of my favourite Austen books but be warned! If you liked the novel this adaptation eschews huge chunks in order of brevity. And yet I can't help loving this adaptation and it's probably my favourite one. Hawkins is a perfect Anne and Rupert Penry-Jones is an excellent Wentworth. The two of them exchange enough burning glances to light a spark in this rather dour adaptation. With such perfect chemistry it's only a pity that they are surrounded by a better film.

Anne Elliot (Sally Hawkins) is engaged to naval officer Frederick Wentworth (Rupert Penry-Jones). Her father Sir Walter Elliot (Anthony Head) is dismissive despite himself going through financial troubles. Her godmother Lady Russell (Alice Krige) talks her out of the engagement for his lack of station in life. Years later in 1815, Wentworth has become a highly sought-after bachelor successful Captain. He returns to visit his sister and her husband Admiral Croft who has rented the Elliot estate. Anne has to endure her regrets as she is passed her prime.Sally Hawkins is great as the reserved Anne who is so easily swayed and has basically blended into the furniture. This TV movie doesn't have much in the way of cinematic style although they use obvious big locations. Anne's passivity does make it hard to watch. It's one note and then, a bunch of stuff happens, she runs a lot and it ends. It's not the most satisfying but I do love Hawkins.

I think it very telling that so many people, without having discussed it first, had the same reaction to the long awaited "kiss" at the end of the film. She looked like a fish. A gasping, dying fish. Yeah, I get that she ran all over town (still not sure why they played it that way) but come ON! That had to be the worst on screen kiss in the history of kisses. The only reason I didn't give this movie a single star is because of the guy who played Frederick. He was easy on the eyes and not a horrible actor. But even he wasn't enough to get me to ever watch this travesty again. I'm a romantic and I've seen my share of climax of the story kisses and this . . . this deserves to be buried and forgotten.And that constant creepy stare at the camera didn't help anything either.