PLOT: From Focus Features and Working Title comes an irresistible new take on Jane Austen’s iconic Sense and Sensibility: a charming, witty, and deeply relatable story of love and sisterhood.
REVIEW: I often find myself asking “Why?” when it comes to stories that have been adapted so many times that I can’t even list the many different versions. And it’s hard not to think the same here as Jane Austin’s Sense and Sensibility has been adapted half a dozen times for film/TV, with many more smaller-scale productions along the way. But hey, if we can get a hundred different versions of Dracula, who’s to say that Jane Austin can’t receive the same treatment? Even still, this was actually my first time ever experiencing the story, so I was able to view it with fresh eyes.
Sense and Sensibility tells the story of Elinor and Maryanne Dashwood, two sisters who are dealing with the fallout of their father’s death. They’re being forced to move from their familial home and are being matched up with various suitors. It’s hard to look at the story as anything except very antiquated, with the women treating marriage as the ultimate goal and their only purpose in life. So much so that every problem is treated as solved, so long as they have a husband. It’s almost quaint with its simplistic approach to life, and it felt like a nice escape from the harshness of reality.
While Daisy Edgar-Jones got a lot of the marketing push for the film, this is Esmé Creed-Miles’ film through and through, as the role of Maryanne is much meatier than Elinor. Maryanne is someone who leans into her passions, carrying her heart on her sleeve, while her sister is more guarded and her intentions a bit more mysterious. Maryanne leads with her heart, while Elinor leads with her brain, making their journeys toward love very different. Daisy and Esmé have a very sisterly bond, with an instantly believable chemistry, though it sometimes seems like they’re ready to abandon each other at the mere mention of a suitor.
I was really impressed by Herbert Nordrum as Colonel Brandon, the man who is first set up with Maryanne, only for her to choose someone else. Admittedly, the character can be a bit of the “white knight” archetype, but his intentions always seem genuine, resulting in several feel-good moments. I wish Catriona Balfe had a little more to do as Mrs. Dashwood, as her role is nothing more than a cheerleader for the women’s romantic exploits. Fiona Shaw is a humorous highlight as Mrs. Jennings, the woman who helps out the Dashwoods and is always trying to find husbands for the girls.
Any romance film lives and dies on its relationships, and this does a good job of showing how much the sisters’ very different approaches also have very different results. Mary-Anne is so focused on passion and being in the moment that she doesn’t see what’s right in front of her. Elinor cares more about respect and honor, to the point where she’d sacrifice her own happiness in order not to betray either. Edgar-Jones’ chemistry with George MacKay’s Edward Ferrars makes the “will they, won’t they” dynamic work very well.
Screenwriter Diana Reid is able to update the dialogue, while still having its more traditional flourishes you’d expect from Austin’s work. It’s just given a more modern slant, while never going full slang. Again, I can’t speak to how faithful it is, but I assume there are at least some changes, even if minuscule. I can’t deny that there’s a very strange lack of stakes here, as there never feels like there are going to be major consequences for any action. It almost feels like these people are just playing dress-up versus actually inhabiting this world and bringing it to life. I don’t need constant tragedy for something to feel real, but this seemed to view the world through rose-tinted glasses, where everything is taken at face value.
Since this was my first real experience with the story, and therefore had nothing else to compare it to, I’m sure I ended up enjoying this more than those with intimate knowledge of the book. I just took it at face value and had no baggage with either the characters or the story. While I did find it all very old-fashioned in its approach to love, it’s all very charming and anchored by fantastic performances from its lead actors. So as much as I may bemoan the idea of yet another adaptation, I now have my answer: Sense and Sensibility (2026) was made for people who have never experienced this story before; people like me. And as such, I enjoyed my time and think others will too.
Sense and Sensibility is playing in theaters on October 16th, 2026.
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