TL;DR – A delightfully charming film, filled with camaraderie, humour, and exquisite performances

Post-Credit Scene – There is no post-credit scene.

Disclosure – I was invited to a press screening of this film.

Sense and Sensibility Review Introduction

One of the bonuses of this job is that you experience a full range of classic literature that you missed growing up because your school picked different titles, such as One Flew Over a Cuckoo’s Nest, or there was one English teacher who made the thought of doing literature a non-starter. This is how I have discovered the joys of such classics as Emma, Little Women, Murder on the Orient Express, and Wuthering Heights. Okay, some more than others. However, today, I get to add to this as we dive back to the era of Jane Austen with all its pomp and circumstance.

So, to set the scene, tragedy has struck the Dashwood family as their father Henry has passed away, and after some prodding from his wife Fanny (Stacy Martin), John (Tom Brooke), Henry’s son, has decided not to financially support his stepmother (Caitríona Balfe), or half-sisters Elinor (Daisy Edgar-Jones), Marianne (Esmé Creed-Miles), or Margaret (Bodhi Rae Breathnach). Thankfully, a distant relative, Mrs Jennings (Fiona Shaw), has announced that  Sir John Middleton (Turlough Convery) has heard of their plight and offered them a cottage in Devon that they could move into for a low rent. This is a big change for all the girls, but with all change, there is frustration and opportunities. Some of those opportunities may be potential suitors, including the shy Edward Ferrars (George MacKay), the distant Colonel Brandon (Herbert Nordrum), and the far too forward John Willoughby (Frank Dillane). This could be a source of much relief for the family, or possibly much pain.

Charm

One thing that is clear right from the start is just how charming this film is. Given how old the source material is, I know there must have been many adaptations of this story by now, and one of them is likely your favourite (probably a BBC miniseries). However, the 2026 adaptation is no lightweight on the camaraderie front. You honestly care for all the characters in the film, because they feel like whole beings, going through something very different from my time and experiences, but there is that human connection there. A lot of that does come from how the original source material has been interpreted in the film. But a sizable portion of that charm comes from how the cast work off each other, making for an engaging, and at often times, quite humorous watch.

Poise

A lot of work has gone into making this film look as stunning as it does. All of the costumes are exquisitely tailored; they felt perfect for the age, irrespective of whether they are correct for the age or not. Then we have the locations. Sure, there was a lot of work trying to make that London skyline look era-appropriate that didn’t quite land. However, every house they visit, every manor they stop at, is filled with the grandeur that feels like they are real in situ locations, and not sets. If I am wrong here, then congratulations to the set designers. One part of the film I did enjoy was the musical score, full of bluster when needed, and reserved when those emotions hit home. From a structural perspective, it looks as if the film is a relatively faithful adaptation of the source material, just with a touch of streamlining, and a few tweaks here and there. It does not fundamentally alter the original work, as other modern adaptations do. However, the pacing does get a bit spotty once the action moves to London.

Grace

Daisy Edgar-Jones and Esmé Creed-Miles’ characters’ relationship is at the heart of the film, and it is why it works as well as it does. You absolutely buy that they are close yet fundamentally differently wired sisters. Those conflicting worldviews are where some of the tension in the film brews, but it is not tension through malice but misunderstanding. Every single character in the film nailed the brief. There is not a scene where Fiona Shaw is not a delight, and the same can be said for Turlough Convery. Frank Dillane, Herbert Nordrum, and George MacKay all play different flavours of stubbornness to a T. I hated but completely understood Fanny, so congratulations, Stacy Martin. There was not a member of the cast who felt out of place in the role. They all work together to give the film life, substance, and emotional resonance.

Recommendation

In the end, do we recommend Sense and Sensibility? Absolutely, I laughed, I cried, I laugh/cried. I had a lot of fun with this adaptation; its charm was clear to see, and I look forward to watching it again. If you can, try to see it with a group of friends or a large audience, because it is a shared experience.  

Have you watched Sense and Sensibility? Let us know what you thought in the comments below. If you liked Sense and Sensibility, we would recommend Sweet As, as they both explore people going through a powerful change in their lives and trying to navigate it with a world set against them.

By Brian MacNamara: You can follow Brian on Bluesky at @Tldrmovrev, when he’s not chatting about Movies and TV, he’ll be talking about International Relations, or the Solar System.

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Credits – All images were created by the cast, crew, and production companies of Sense and Sensibility
Directed by – Georgia Oakley
Screenplay by – Diana Reid
Based on – Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
Music by – Roger Goula
Cinematography by – Arnaud Potier
Edited by – Izabella Curry
Production/Distribution Companies – Working Title Films, November Pictures, Kiddo Films, Focus Features, & Universal Pictures.
Starring – Daisy Edgar-Jones, Esmé Creed-Miles, Caitríona Balfe, Bodhi Rae Breathnach, Frank Dillane, Herbert Nordrum, George MacKay, Fiona Shaw, Stacy Martin, Tom Brooke, Turlough Convery, Chloe Pirrie, Eliot Sumner, Bethany Slater, & Ceara Coveney
Rating – Australia: PG; Canada: PG; Germany: 6; United Kingdom: U; United States: PG