Item: Sense and Sensibility
Rating: 7.5
Author: Phil Jeng Kane

England in the late 17th century, and the Dashwood family — sisters Elinor, Marianne and Margaret, along with their widowed mother, Mrs Dashwood — live at Norland Park, a family estate in Sussex.

The death of Henry Dashwood impacts his wife and daughters severely. They are his second family, which is why his son John, from the first Dashwood family, inherits Norland.

It soon becomes obvious that John and his wife Fanny are making life difficult for the second Dashwood family. They take the best rooms at Norland and, unbeknownst to the family, reduce their inheritance considerably.

Only Fanny’s brother Edward Ferrars, who is visiting, brings any charm and joy to their lives. Oldest sister Elinor enjoys his company in particular.

Eventually, distant relatives, the Middletons, invite the Dashwoods to live at a place in Devon known as Barton Cottage.

Lady Middleton declares that she will be throwing herself into the mission of marrying off Elinor and Marianne, who are nineteen and seventeen years old respectively.

The journey to Devon, by carriage, takes several days and covers more than 200 miles. The actual cottage is very much less grand than their beloved Norland.

Love, Marriage And Survival

From here, there are further adventures that unfold.

Marianne becomes enamoured by John Willoughby, a man who seems to be a good match at first, but further events show he has secrets to hide.

Edward Ferrars also has secrets, which makes him elusive to Elinor.

Will the sisters be married, or will they continue living a destitute existence?

Watch The Sense And Sensibility Trailer

Austen Reimagined For 2026

Sense and Sensibility was Jane Austen’s first published novel. Her first thought for the title was Elinor and Marianne.

The book was moderately successful when it was released in 1811. Its reputation grew as other Austen works were published.

However, the success we see today comes as a result of the work of literary scholars over the decades, who have examined and re-examined what Austen’s work said about women, economics, class and society.

The film and television adaptations of Austen’s novels have also lifted Austen’s reputation, and that of her novels, to an impressive level of ubiquity.

So, the fact that there is a new cinema version of Sense and Sensibility is not too surprising.

It is the Sense and Sensibility adaptation for Generation Z — and you younger Millennials, natch.

A More Earthy Sense And Sensibility

The film is directed by Georgia Oakley from a screenplay by Diana Reed.

The result is a film that rests more on creating a gritty and earthy landscape for the Dashwoods.

It relies less on the sharp wit of the novel’s “dialogue”, with a greater concentration on the character details and development of the two older Dashwood sisters.

This comparison holds if one compares this film with the celebrated Ang Lee adaptation written by Emma Thompson, who won an Oscar for that work.

That film is not as connected to the portrayal of the natural world and is more about the manners of the Regency era.

Comparisons may be odious for some. However, given the amount of Austen that is in our culture, audiences will inevitably be thinking of the original book or film they were hooked in by, originally.

The Sisters Carry The Film

The performances here carry everything.

Daisy Edgar-Jones is an excellent Elinor and Esme Creed-Miles is a powerful Marianne.

Their deep sisterly connection makes this film even more clearly Elinor and Marianne than the Ang Lee film.

We are drawn into the lives of the Dashwoods and want them to succeed.

For those not as familiar with this story universe, none of the Dashwood women can move forward in their existence without marriage.

The right match will bring an assurance of a place in society and the security of a working financial setup.

A woman cannot have paid work in this era and in this class, so waiting for one day, when the metaphorical prince will come, is all that these women have.