SENSE AND SENSIBILITY (2026)

Genre: Drama/Romance
Director: Georgia Oakley
Cast: Daisy Edgar-Jones, Esmé Creed-Miles, Caitríona Balfe, Frank Dillane, George MacKay, Bodhi Rae Breathnach, Herbert Nordrum, Fiona Shaw, Stacy Martin, Tom Brooke
Runtime: 2 hr 12 mins
Rating: PG
Released By: UIP
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 29 October 2026

Synopsis: From Focus Features and Working Title comes an irresistible new take on Jane Austen’s iconic Sense and Sensibility: a charming, witty, and deeply relatable story of love and sisterhood starring Daisy Edgar-Jones and Esmé Creed-Miles.

Movie Review:

This reviewer knows the importance of reading, and has certainly heard plenty about Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility, her celebrated novel about love, heartbreak and the social expectations placed upon women. Has he actually read it? No.

But he has picked up a thing or two about Austen’s world from the movies, and thankfully, Georgia Oakley’s adaptation gives him another chance to familiarise himself with the story of the Dashwood sisters. As for Ang Lee’s much-loved 1995 version and the other adaptations that have come before it, well, let’s just say this reviewer’s viewing homework remains a work in progress.

The story follows sisters Elinor (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and Marianne Dashwood (Esmé Creed-Miles), whose lives take an unexpected turn after their father’s death leaves the family in reduced circumstances. Forced to leave their home, the sisters must navigate a society where financial security and social standing can matter as much as matters of the heart. While the sensible Elinor keeps her emotions in check, the more passionate Marianne wears her heart on her sleeve. As romance enters the picture, both discover that love rarely follows the plans we make for it.

As one might expect from a period drama of this sort, Sense and Sensibility is a prim and proper affair, complete with restrained manners, carefully measured conversations and plenty of unspoken feelings simmering beneath the surface. But beneath all that decorum lies a story about two sisters trying to find their place in a world that does not always make things easy for them.

Edgar-Jones gives Elinor a grounded, understated presence, conveying the character’s inner turmoil through subtle expressions and measured delivery. She makes Elinor’s restraint feel less like coldness than a form of self-preservation, and it is hard not to sympathise with a woman who must constantly keep her feelings in check.

Creed-Miles, meanwhile, is an eye-catching presence as Marianne. Her performance has a liveliness and emotional openness that make her impossible to ignore whenever she appears on screen. The contrast between the two actresses captures the story’s central tension beautifully, without reducing either sister to a simple embodiment of sense or sensibility. You will find yourself rooting for both women as their romantic prospects become increasingly complicated.

George MacKay’s Edward Ferrars and Frank Dillane’s John Willoughby bring their own charms and complications to the mix, holding their own alongside their female co-stars. Yet it is the sisters’ hopes, disappointments and resilience that give the story its emotional pull.

The production design and costumes are equally persuasive, immersing us in a world of elegant country houses, sprawling landscapes and beautifully tailored period attire. Every detail evokes a society governed by rigid conventions, where a seemingly innocent interaction can carry considerable weight and a woman’s future may depend on whom she marries.

Ultimately, Sense and Sensibility invites us to consider whether reason should guide the heart or whether feelings deserve to be expressed, even at the risk of getting hurt. Perhaps the answer lies somewhere between the two. Austen fans may find fresh pleasure in seeing this familiar tale brought to life, while newcomers can appreciate its enduring observations about love, family and society.

And so, this reviewer can finally say he knows what Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility is about. Has he earned the right to skip reading the book? Absolutely not. But at least he now has a better idea of what to look out for if he finally opens it.

Movie Rating:

(This reviewer may not have read Jane Austen’s novel, but this charming adaptation makes a convincing case for why the story has stood the test of time)

Review by John Li