Sense and Sensibility is a Stunning, Heartfelt Adaptation of Jane Austen’s Iconic Novel

Image courtesy of Focus Features.

By Luis Zonenberg

As the Halloween season comes to a close, audiences are rolling out the red carpet for Oscar season. Hollywood tends to release most Oscar-bait films around this time of year, hoping they will receive critical praise and generate enough buzz to lock in nominations for Awards season. The first one on the roster is Sense & Sensibility, the latest adaptation of Jane Austen’s iconic novel. I decided to venture out and see how this film not only stands against the novel, but the immense plethora of other adaptations made over the years. 

The story focuses on twenty-year-old Elinor Dashwood (Daisy Edgar-Jones), the oldest and most rational of the three Dashwood sisters. She works to keep her sisters, Margaret (Bodhi Rae Breathnach) and Marianne (Esmé Creed-Miles), in check and ensures they get the support they need. She soon finds this difficult with the arrival of the lively Edward Ferrars (George MacKay) whose sheer wit and charming demeanor she finds impossible to resist.  

Things soon take a turn for the worse for the family when Mrs. Dashwood (Caitríona Balfe) discovers that their estate has passed on to John Dashwood (Tom Brooke), the sisters’ half-brother. With John’s snobbish wife, Fanny (Stacy Martin), keeping him at bay, the family is forced to retreat to a reclusive cottage in the moors of Devonshire. Their move prompts the arrival of Mrs. Jennings (Fiona Shaw), a distant relative of the family. She seeks to find a worthy match for each of the sisters, hoping to see them all settled and financially stable to reduce the pressure on their mother. 

The movie still mainly follows the core story beats of the novel, but does make some changes, notably in the characterization of Colonel Brandon and Edward Ferrars. The script fleshes out their characters much more compared to the book, in which both characters were rather dry and dull to read about. With Edward being more lively and Colonel Brandon struggling to keep his emotions under control, it adds more depth to their characters and allows audiences to better connect with them in the process. 

The movie romanticizes the relationships between the characters more than previous adaptations, sometimes to a fault. While it was refreshing to better see the characters interacting more, it does tend to lose focus on the rational logic of Elinor’s character, which was her defining trait in the novel. Even though this character trait is sorely missing, the film makes up for this by focusing on her temperament and good judgment of character, which weaves itself well into her relationship with her sisters. While the movie might spend a little too much time exploring the romantic intrigue this time around, it balances itself out by juggling it with the lingering family drama.

The cast was simply superb, with Daisy Edgar-Jones bringing a fresh and lively new take on Elinor’s character. Imbuing her with a fresh sense of youthful optimism that she struggles to hide as she works to supervise her sisters; a character trait that was sorely lacking in previous adaptations. The real standout here, though, was Herbert Nordrum as Colonel Brandon, leaning into the character’s quiet and observant nature while deftly showing his struggle to hide his emotions. Other supporting actors like George Mackay, Fiona Shaw, Frank Dillane, and Esmé Creed-Miles anchored their film with their incredibly entertaining performances. 

The cinematography was breathtaking in its own right, coating the film in a gritty but still colorful visual style that was beautiful to behold. Cinematographer Arnaud Potier chose to shoot the movie on 3-perf 35mm cameras, giving the movie a raw and distinct visual quality that complemented the natural beauty of the time period. By opting to shoot this movie on 35mm film stock, it not only made the film more tangible for audiences but also complemented the raw emotions of the characters and the environment they live in. 

The costumes and sets were equally stunning to gaze at, deftly capturing the look of the late 18th century. The costumes were an absolute highlight of the film, which not only looked like 18th-century clothing but also aided in further characterizing the family members, with Elinor’s wardrobe shifting between the long dresses her sisters wear and the more sophisticated clothes her older companions proudly display in their homes. These fashion choices further add to Elinor’s character, with each of the sets further immersing the audience into their world.

The film, despite its shortcomings, remains a superb adaptation of Jane Austen’s novel. The movie benefits from Georgia Oakley’s directorial style, injecting new life into these famous literary characters. By focusing more on the core relationships between the characters, Oakley and company ensure audiences are riveted from beginning to end. Under the stewardship of director Georgia Oakley, this latest adaptation of Sense and Sensibility is a heartfelt and visually dazzling film that is anchored by its devoted cast.

Sense and Sensibility is now playing in theaters. 

Rating: ★★★★☆