Jane Austen Fans Hate New “Persuasion” So Much That They’re Making it Go Viral

Dakota Johnson in
Dakota Johnson in "Persuasion"

Persuasion is the latest period drama taking Netflix by storm… but for all the wrong reasons. Many viewers were left scratching their heads after seeing the latest Jane Austen adaptation, especially the fans of the beloved author, but that’s exactly the reason why this film is going viral.

Persuasion stars Dakota Johnson as Anne Elliot, a young woman who broke the engagement with the man she loved in her youth, after being persuaded he’s not a good fit. Years later, he returns to her town as a successful naval officer, and the sparks start flying between them all over again.

Sounds like an interesting premise, so what exactly is the problem? Mostly Persuasion’s an attempt to modernize Austen’s work while still setting it in 19th century England. Johnson’s Anne Elliot can be heard spewing such lines as “Now I’m single and thriving” and “I never trust a ten”, sounding like a TikTok version of an Austen heroine.

The reviews weren’t kind to Persuasion either, accusing it of “Fleabag-ification of Jane Austen” and calling it “a disastrously misguided” adaptation and “an all-time disaster”. Despite bad reviews, Persuasion easily reached No. 1 on Netflix and it’s becoming a viral sensation because it’s one of those movies that people love to hate.

Head to Twitter to read some of the most hilarious posts about this film: