Esm\u00e9 Creed-Miles as Marianne and Daisy Edgar-Jones as Elinor Dashwood in Georgia Oakley\u2019s ‘Sense and Sensibility’ (Photo: Focus Features)<\/p>\n
Summary<\/p>\n
Daisy Edgar-Jones and Esm\u00e9 Creed-Miles deliver a charming, beautifully grounded Jane Austen adaptation that restores faith in classic period dramas \u2013 after what we\u2019ve had to endure lately, be surprised.<\/p>\n
I was not expecting much from 2026\u2019s Sense and Sensibility\u00a0apart from a good Jane Austen adaptation, and that\u2019s what I got and more. The U rating gave it away in terms of experience. I knew that the film was going to play it safe, unlike the disastrous Wuthering Heights, which was more of a TikTok event for broken young people happy for English literature to be destroyed for a director\u2019s fantasy. But despite its safe approach, director Georgia Oakley captures some fine moments that make the film more than worthwhile and well worth its pennies.<\/p>\n
First of all, the film recognises the importance of the two sisters. Daisy Edgar-Jones (Fresh<\/a>) and Esm\u00e9 Creed-Miles (Hanna<\/a>) play their counterparts, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, with natural precision and a sense of homeliness. The script intentionally assumes that the sisters have a strong intuition when it comes to each other\u2019s affairs, making the film\u2019s important moments \u2013 usually when a suitor of theirs does not meet expectations \u2013 feel effective and heartwarming. Sense and Sensibility does not forget the sisterhood. Capturing the sisters\u2019 connection with each other seals this Jane Austen adaptation. It\u2019s refreshing. I\u2019ve seen many period dramas based on classic fiction, but as cinema evolves, it has to offer something special in its vacuum in order for us to care less about the predictability. Daisy and Esm\u00e9 offer that.<\/p>\n I did wonder how the film would approach romantic tension too, given, again, the age rating, which I almost feel stupid raising twice. Elinor\u2019s uncertain connection with Edward Ferrars (George MacKay; Marrowbone<\/a>, Munich \u2013 The Edge of War<\/a>) has surprising momentum. They are apart for most of the film, and that gap before seeing each other again is strongly felt, especially as their relationship is complicated. The characters spotlight the burden between them \u2013 honour and desire \u2013 in an entertaining equilibrium. Their unspoken words work, proving that well-written scripts trump sensationalist moments. I enjoyed seeing Daisy Edgar-Jones take on a character whose identity relies on securing a match, not only to keep the family intact financially, but also socially \u2013 she holds the space with conviction. An appreciation is felt for the character brought to life from a Jane Austen novel.<\/p>\n The dialogue in Sense and Sensibility had me smiling in enjoyment a few times. It\u2019s incredible that modern adaptations of period dramas believe that as long as the English accent is right and \u201cposh,\u201d they\u2019ve succeeded on authenticity, but the language is actually more important. As a purist, I need the cast to believe that they are speaking within those times. In moments of happiness, stress, humour, or a character withholding, words \u2013 either unspoken or disguised \u2013 need meaning. The director chose patience with the script to ensure the words did the heavy lifting. The clothes flung from the wardrobe department and the specific location shooting are a bare minimum, but it\u2019s important to believe where we are. For two hours, I believed it.<\/p>\n