Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Modern Persuasion’ on Hulu, A New York Rom-Com That Reimagines The Jane Austen Classic

Who doesn’t love a good Jane Austen adaptation? From various versions of classics like Emma, Pride & Prejudice, Mansfield Park, and Sense & Sensibility to more creative spins like Clueless, Bridget Jones’s Diary and Bride & Prejudice, the author’s work has inspired all kinds of stories. Modern Persuasion, now streaming on Hulu, is exactly what its title promises – a modern adaptation of Jane Austen’s final novel. 

MODERN PERSUASION: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

The Gist: Wren Cosgrove (Alicia Witt) is a single workaholic who spends most of her time going on runs and talking to her cat, Wentworth. At the marketing firm where she works – which has recently downsized offices and moved to Brooklyn – Wren has a nice rapport with her bosses, a brother-sister duo played by Mark Moses and Jenn Harris, and her millennial associates (Tedra Millan and Daniella Pineda) keep her on her toes. When the firm is hired by a client – who also happens to be her ex-boyfriend – named Owen Jasper (Shane McRae), Wren finds herself questioning whether or not she made the right decision to end things with him all those years ago.

Wren’s Aunt Vanessa (an underutilized Bebe Neuwirth) tries to offer counsel, but as she was the one who pushed Wren to dump Owen all those years ago, Wren seems a little hesitant on whether or not to really take her advice. While Wren tries to figure out what she’s really feeling about Owen, she also entertains affections from two other charming men. Despite her best efforts to put herself out there, she can’t seem to shake Owen (and he seems just as stuck on her, even if he does spend some time flirting with her younger associates). Will these two get over themselves and finally have their happily-ever-after? Only time will tell.

What Movies Will It Remind You Of?: Modern Persuasion has the lower-tier vibes shared by Hallmark Channel flicks, or the recent Stars Fell on Alabama, among others, but it’s also got that peppy New York rom-com flick feeling we see with movies like Set It Up, How to Be Single, and more.

Performance Worth Watching: Mark Moses – who you probably know best as Duck Phillips from Mad Men – is a total riot here. It’s a ridiculous part, but he has a ball with it, chewing up the scenery in his over-the-top suits and somehow remaining charming even at his most pompous moments. I was surprised to see him pop up in a movie like this, but truthfully, he wound up being one of the only things that made it feel worthwhile.

Memorable Dialogue: Most of the dialogue in Modern Persuasion is pretty dull, but I did chuckle at Mark Moses’s delivery of a joke early on in the film when saying his (still living) father would roll over in his grave if he knew what they were doing to the company: “Palm Beach, dead, what’s the difference?”

Sex and Skin: Modern Persuasion keeps it pretty tame, so there’s none of that here (besides a few lame sex jokes).

Our Take: I am a sucker for Jane Austen adaptations of all kinds; give me commentary on society, class, and the relationship between men and women allll day, please. I’ve see Joe Wright’s Pride & Prejudice more times than I care to admit, and Bridget Jones is basically part of my DNA at this point. I am also a massive rom-com junkie. So you can imagine it was immensely disappointing when Modern Persuasion turned out to be 87 minutes of bland, half-baked clichés centered around a couple with no real romantic chemistry.

Alicia Witt is a perfectly worthy leading lady, and she does her best with what she’s given. Despite the film’s made-for-TV lighting and frequently silly dialogue, she’s pretty believable, and easy to root for from the get-go. Most of the supporting players follow suit; Tedra Millan, Daniella Pineda, and Liza Lapira in particular stand out and bring some genuine fun to all of their scenes, but it isn’t enough to save what is ultimately a pretty lifeless movie.

Modern Persuasion, despite its truly terrible title, is not offensively bad, but it’s certainly not something anyone should be rushing to see. Its lean runtime makes some of its transgressions slightly forgivable, but nothing can atone for the greatest rom-com sin of all: a lackluster leading man. I’m sure he’s been great in other projects, but Shane McRae is so devoid of charisma in this role that it’s difficult to wonder why he’s leaving Wren’s heart aflutter in the first place. With a strong duo at its center, a lot of bad romances can be saved. With this yawn-inducing lead couple, Modern Persuasion never really stood a chance.

Our Call: SKIP IT. Despite Alicia Witt’s charm, Modern Persuasion succumbs to many a cliché and never allows any real sparks to fly between its two leads.

Jade Budowski is a freelance writer with a knack for ruining punchlines, hogging the mic at karaoke, and thirst-tweeting. Follow her on Twitter: @jadebudowski.

Watch Modern Persuasion on Hulu