Sense and Sensibility – Movie Review
There is a timeless sense to the stories of Jane Austen, of which many have been adapted in film and television for decades now. For the more modern adaptations, like Greta Gerwig’s Little Women for example, the success has come from staying faithful to the foundations of the story, but focusing in on the themes that resonate today. This latest adaptation of Sense and Sensibility, written by Diana Reid and directed by Georgia Oakley, both understands and executes this, resulting in a film that feels like the period-era dramas that are so beloved, but excels in telling a beautiful and moving story about sisterhood, womanhood, love, and heartbreak.
Sense and Sensibility sees Daisy Edgar-Jones as Elinor Dashwood – the eldest of three sisters – who with their mother are grieving the recent loss of their father and husband. His passing has resulted in their estate being bequeathed to Elinor’s half-brother and his unbearably snooty wife, forcing the Dashwood family out of their home. The family are taken in by a distant relative, the outlandish and eccentric Mrs. Jennings (Fiona Shaw). Despite not living in the comfortability they had once known, this new chapter of their lives kickstarts a journey into finding love and connections, both romantically and within their family, as the sisters come of age.
There is a very naturalistic feeling to the way Georgia Oakley has presented her take on Sense and Sensibility. There is a grainy quality to the film presentation, as the director uses long takes and a lot of outdoor settings that feel stylistically different to the usual sheen that some period-era dramas can be known for. It’s this choice in direction that adds a unique immersion into the lives of the Dashwood sisters. The locations, set design and costume design also feel quite historically accurate to the time, which exacerbates that immersive feeling.
But even though this adaptation may feel slightly more realistic that the often fantastical nature that comes with the romantic period-era dramas in a visual sense, it’s Reid’s screenplay that captures the heart of the story that makes it feel so timeless and captivating. Reid focuses on making sure that the audience not only feels the romance that is at the core of Sense and Sensibility, but she also makes sure that the men who come into the lives of the Dashwood sisters are worthy of their love, rather than just portraying the women as swooning over their potential suitors. It’s this care taken for this aspect of the film that makes the romance of it all feel so palpable and engaging. Even when the journeys into first love skew into dramatic heartbreak, the emotional foundations laid earlier in the film just make those moments hit even harder.
Reid also focuses strongly on the story of sisterhood and womanhood at the core of Austen’s story. This version of Sense and Sensibility is much more about three sisters coming-of-age and finding independence and agency outside of love in a time where that wasn’t easy to come by. There is such a strong bond between the sisters, and their mother for that matter, that drives the story even more than the romance does. It works in this film because of Reid’s focus on this in the script, but it’s brought to life by the great performances.
Edgar-Jones is a brilliant anchor to the film, bringing a sense of elegance and grace to Elinor as the eldest sister trying to keep her family together, but also a wonderful vulnerability that comes out when she begins to fall for Colonel Brandon (Herbert Nordum). Bodhi Rae Breathnach and Caitriona Balfe as the youngest Dashwood sister and Mrs. Dashwood respectively bring a lot of care and love to the screen. But, it’s Esme Creed-Miles as the strong-willed, hilarious, wearing-emotions-on-the-sleeve Marianne who absolutely steals the show as she goes on a large journey of love and heartbreak throughout the film as she grows closer to her eldest sister, and navigates an intense first love with John Willoughby (Frank Dillane). Fiona Shaw is also an absolute scene stealer as Mrs. Jennings, with Shaw channelling a lot of “fun, wine drunk aunty” vibes.
For a modern adaptation of a classic text, this take on Sense and Sensibility manages to resonate by focusing on the agency of the women at the centre of the story, but without losing any of the romance that is there to sweep audiences up into the story. With great naturalistic direction and brilliant performances across the board, this is a beautifully moving film.
Sense and Sensibility is in Australian cinemas October 15
