Persuasion

Torn between its contemporary updates and its reverence to the source material, Persuasion isn’t very persuasive in justifying a new cinematic adaptation of Jane Austen’s final novel.

This handsomely mounted period piece keeps up appearances as a Regency-era romantic comedy, although its attempt at a more progressive interpretation involves merely dipping its narrative toes in the water rather than jumping in with conviction.

Perhaps the anachronistic dialogue, inclusive casting, and direct-to-camera narration is a way to introduce a younger generation to the witty material. But as an unintended consequence, the character dynamics become watered down amid the affluent stuffiness of the surroundings.

As the film opens, Anne (Dakota Johnson) is a free-spirited yet lonely bachelorette who pokes fun at the financial travails of her aristocratic family, including her smug father (Richard E. Grant) and social climbing sister (Yolanda Kettle).

A need for some quick cash leads the family to rent its mansion to the older sister of Mr. Wentworth (Cosmo Jarvis), a working-class charmer who Anne ditched years ago, except the spark between them remains.

As a reunion seems inevitable, Anne tries to remain philosophical: “Women love beyond all sensible limits,” she explains. “We cannot help ourselves.”

But there are complications, such as the arrival of Mr. Elliot (Henry Golding), a dashing distant relative who flirts with Anne despite some obvious ulterior motives.

Johnson’s captivating performance is the highlight, balancing Anne’s forlorn fragility with a burgeoning sense of empowerment. As she breaks down her wall of bitterness and resentment, Anne focuses instead on her own happiness and assertively refuses to be defined by her suitors.

Carrie Cracknell, an acclaimed British theater director making her feature film debut, keeps the mood appropriately playful, staging the amorous mischief and manipulation with a mix of sweetness and sass.

However, despite the strong cast, the pacing lags in the second half as the central love triangle lacks sizzle, exposing the lack of emotional depth and nuance in the screenplay by Oscar-winner Ron Bass (Rain Man) and newcomer Alice Victoria Winslow.

The result might be too tame for the “Bridgerton” crowd, while legions of Austen aficionados will know how all this plays out. The film feels more calculated, and more difficult to embrace, than any of its characters.

Rated PG, 109 minutes.