The 1995 Ang Lee version remains incomparable, yet Georgia Oakley’s naturalistic, earthy take sparkles in its own way, honoring its source material while adding something fresh and pleasantly rewatchable to the Austen adaptation canon.
Content warning: This piece discusses certain themes and minor plot points of Sense and Sensibility (2026).
Once again, we’ve reached a period when a new batch of Jane Austen adaptations trickles into theaters and streaming services, reaffirming the timelessness of the author’s works. Fans tend to be loyal to the adaptations they hold dear, wary of anything new; with gems like Joe Wright’s 2005 Pride & Prejudice and Ang Lee’s 1995 Sense and Sensibility setting the gold standard for many, one can hardly blame them.
With the arrival of Georgia Oakley’s new take on Sense and Sensibility, we hear the usual question: is there a need for another adaptation? No, not really. Though I’m of the belief that every few years, under the right circumstances and in careful hands, an adaptation can be a worthy addition to the canon. After watching the 2026 film at a special Ayala Malls Cinemas advance screening, I can confidently say it’s worth adding to one’s rotation of cozy Austen flicks.
READ ALSO: Film Review: “Clayface” Sculpts A Tragic Villain Out Of Unflinching Body Horror
Sense And Sensibility (2026) Presents Familiar Friends, Seen Anew
I write this review assuming that readers are familiar with, if not already fans of, Austen’s story, which follows the Dashwood sisters Elinor and Marianne: the former embodying the titular “sense,” and the latter, the emotional and unabashed “sensibility.” Emma Thompson, who played Elinor in the 1995 film and won an Oscar for the fantastic screenplay she penned (icon behavior), might’ve been a bit old for the role of a younger woman, but the precision of her restraint, dry wit, and gentleness yielded a version of the level-headed Elinor that’s hard to beat. That said, Daisy Edgar-Jones, with her waif-like frame, melancholic doe eyes, and palpably grounding presence, manages to captivate.
A notable difference, however, is the way she frequently switches from calm to anger in the latter part of the film, presenting us with a decidedly fiercer depiction of Elinor than Thompson’s. While some might argue these displays of emotion run counter to the thesis of sensibility, I found it an interesting decision, one that shows how still waters run deep. Elinor’s restraint has never meant an absence of feeling; rather, it’s a matter of keeping those feelings in check (and what happens when one bottles it all up), which is pretty much what Austen’s story reveals in time, just expressed differently here.
Passionate, romantic Marianne is played by a wild-haired Esmé Creed-Miles, considerably more tomboyish and broody (there’s a certain Mary Shelley-esque quality to her) than Kate Winslet’s ringlet-haired, dainty Marianne in the 1995 version, though she was no less intense and dramatic.
Creed-Miles gives a wonderfully raw performance, even if the script can sometimes say more than show. There’s an unapologetically candid quality to her acting that takes you along with her. A guttural scream of heartbreak and anguish on a rainy hilltop, a desperate touch, a full-chested laugh: these moments build a version of Marianne that feels faithful to the novel while still being its own thing. Creed-Miles makes you believe this is a young woman, foolish at times, truthful and naive, her heart open and bleeding from the vastness of wanting to love and be loved openly.
Would it be a Jane Austen story if our heroines didn’t have their silly, peculiar, yet lovable men? Edgar-Jones and George MacKay—who plays Elinor’s love interest Edward Ferrars—share an easy chemistry as friends, with just enough tension to hint at the simmering romantic feelings kept tightly under wraps (a must in any Austen work). There are plenty of convincing, yearning glances and touches here (including a ball dance scene), though they don’t quite rank alongside Mr. Darcy’s Hand Flex and misty morning walk in 2005’s Pride and Prejudice.
MacKay is endearingly awkward and kind, with that cute look of bafflement reminiscent of Hugh Grant in the 1995 version. The towering Herbert Nordrum also does a great job as the quiet, seemingly stoic yet principled Colonel Brandon, who has no shortage of longing glances and an evident admiration for Marianne. Alan Rickman is a hard act to follow, but Nordrum makes the colonel his own. One can’t forget the rakish, good-for-nothing Mr. Willoughby, whom Greg Wise manages to make charismatic while still conveying a manchild-like patheticness and manipulative air.
Another noteworthy performance is that of Fiona Shaw, who plays the gossiping, albeit well-meaning, Mrs. Jennings, a character I’ve always loved for the campy humor she brings to nearly every iteration of the story. With a noticeably larger role in this adaptation, Shaw provides motherly comfort during tough times without losing that touch of grandiose ridiculousness. Stacy Martin also makes for a great Fanny, her sharp features and pointed glares infuriatingly annoying, and at times downright malicious, in all the right ways.
A Natural Rendering Of Austen’s World
If there’s one thing to praise and note about what Oakley’s adaptation brings to the table, it’s a sense of naturalism that deviates from other Sense and Sensibility adaptations. Earthy tones and windswept pastoral scenes are a change of pace compared to the pastel-like, saturated hues of Lee’s film. With Arnaud Potier’s cinematography, we stay a little longer in the woods, the fields, the gurgling streams, the focus on berry-stained hands and sepia-toned interiors where natural light pours through the windows, or candlelight casts a warm glow. The film has an autumnal quality to it, cool without being frigid or stiff, an edge of severity to its beauty, certain frames looking like oil paintings of the era. I’ve seen some reviews describe its visuals as rather dark, though I feel this emphasizes the more serious circumstances the Dashwood girls find themselves in, without much money, a father, or prospects.
The girls take refuge in nature, particularly the free-spirited Marianne, their hair loose as they run around in flowing period pieces beautifully crafted by costume designer Grace Snell, many of which were colored using natural dyes (again, an emphasis on the organic). A soaring, moody score by Roger Doula is the cherry on top, evoking a sense of bittersweetness and dreamlike haziness. There’s also, though not necessarily significant, an abundance of dogs who add another layer of cozy domesticity to the film (or perhaps this was Oakley’s excuse to hire some very adorable pups, which is valid).
Everything about the film, from the acting to the visuals, hinges on that sort of candid quality, unfettered, casual, and even wildly jubilant (which keeps it from being a snoozefest), but still recognizably Austen in wit, soul, and sensitivity.
Capturing The Essence Of A Beloved Story
The point of a new adaptation isn’t to recreate its source material word by word, or to simply be a photocopy of its predecessors and inspirations. While you’ll feel a spiritual connection between Oakley’s work and Focus Features’ other beloved films, it stands on its own, some of its creative decisions bettering the essence of Sense and Sensibility’s tale of sisterhood, complicated romance, and the necessary balance between head and heart.
It takes more screen time to flesh out interactions between the girls and their love interests, helping you better understand why and how they connect with each other. Its more naturalistic approach also allows you to sit with the interiority of their emotions, lending a sort of viscerality to the implicit cues we so often see in Austen’s stories. Sisterhood, however, is where this story shines. The bond between Edgar-Jones’ and Creed-Miles’ Elinor and Marianne is unquestionable, turbulent and intensely caring, arguments real and concern for one another’s happiness more so, the two having no trouble convincing us of their unspoken dynamics.
In one particular scene that almost had me in tears, Elinor weaves through a crowd of London society partygoers to find her sister, who has just discovered that Willoughby has moved on. She gently places her hands on Marianne’s shoulders and rushes her out of the scene. I can’t help but think of the female friendships and innate sisterly understanding that rescue us through a first grand heartbreak, offering a moment of safety when our ideals shatter. It’s quite moving to watch.
The girls, of course, get their happy endings. Marianne balances her intense beginnings with something aptly tapered yet sweet, while Elinor, the ever-controlled sister, finally allows herself to receive the saccharine yet sincerely joyous happily-ever-after she has withheld from herself for so long. The approach is a little bolder than the usual Austen heroine antics, and it might ruffle some feathers, but for those who don’t mind the decision, it’s as good a denouement as one can ask for (though, again, it doesn’t quite hit Wright’s Pride and Prejudice levels).
Oakley’s characters feel familiar without being redundant, a balance I look for in adaptations that have their fair share of iterations. After all, why else would we agree to see different versions of the same story over and over again? The notes and melody don’t change, but the voice does, revealing new depths. It might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but for those willing to listen, there’s something rewarding in hearing a familiar story sung a little differently.
“Sense and Sensibility” (2026) screens exclusively at Ayala Malls Cinemas on October 28, 2026.
All photos courtesy of Universal Pictures
Frequently Asked Questions
Directed by Georgia Oakley, Sense and Sensibility (2026) adapts Jane Austen’s beloved novel about Dashwood sisters Elinor and Marianne, who embody the contrasting qualities of sense and sensibility as they navigate complicated romances, sisterhood, and the balance between head and heart.
The film stars Daisy Edgar-Jones as Elinor Dashwood and Esmé Creed-Miles as Marianne Dashwood. The cast also includes George MacKay as Edward Ferrars, Herbert Nordrum as Colonel Brandon, Greg Wise as Mr. Willoughby, Fiona Shaw as Mrs. Jennings, and Stacy Martin as Fanny.
While Ang Lee’s 1995 adaptation remains a beloved classic, Georgia Oakley’s 2026 version offers a more naturalistic, earthy approach through its muted colors, pastoral landscapes, and candid performances. The adaptation gives greater attention to the sisters’ emotional lives and their bond, offering a fresh interpretation of Austen’s story while preserving its wit, sensitivity, and romantic appeal.
Sense and Sensibility (2026) will be screening exclusively at Ayala Malls Cinemas starting October 28, 2026.
