Sense and Sensibility review - Daisy Edgar-Jones leads sober-minded next-gen do-over of Austen romcom

Key Points:

• The new adaptation of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility presents a more sober, austere, and downbeat tone compared to the celebrated 1995 film by Ang Lee and Emma Thompson, omitting the upbeat final wedding scene.
• Daisy Edgar-Jones and Esmé Creed-Miles portray the Dashwood sisters, Elinor and Marianne, with a modernized dynamic resembling university friends sharing a London flat, diverging from traditional character interpretations.
• The story emphasizes Mrs. Dashwood’s insistence on moving to Devon to avoid the appearance of her daughter as a gold-digger, a nuance less stressed in the 1995 version.
• Casting choices are notable, with George MacKay as Edward Ferrars and Frank Dillane as the charming yet sly Mr. Willoughby, while Herbert Nordrum’s portrayal of Colonel Brandon is seen as disengaged and awkward compared to Alan Rickman’s iconic performance.
• Fiona Shaw’s portrayal of Mrs. Jennings stands out as a scene-stealer, elevating the character’s presence significantly beyond the previous adaptation, though overall some emotional sensibility is perceived as lacking in the film.