The verdict
Georgia Oakley’s Sense and Sensibility is a grounded, quietly moving take on Jane Austen’s beloved novel — less a glossy remake than a fresh adaptation that puts the Dashwood sisters’ bond at the center. Daisy Edgar-Jones is superb as Elinor, and the film’s earthy, naturalistic style will divide purists while winning over newcomers. It does not displace Ang Lee’s 1995 classic, but it earns its own wistful identity.
| Title | Sense and Sensibility (2026) |
|---|---|
| Director | Georgia Oakley (Blue Jean) |
| Screenplay | Diana Reid, from Jane Austen’s 1811 novel |
| Starring | Daisy Edgar-Jones, Esmé Creed-Miles, George MacKay, Frank Dillane, Herbert Nordrum, Caitríona Balfe, Fiona Shaw, Stacy Martin |
| Runtime | 2 hours 11 minutes |
| Rated | PG |
| Release | UK: September 25, 2026 · US: October 16, 2026 (Focus Features) |
| Rotten Tomatoes | 77% critics positive (53 reviews, average 7/10) |
| Metacritic | Low 70s (generally favorable) |
The story
After their father’s death, sisters Elinor (Edgar-Jones) and Marianne Dashwood (Creed-Miles) are left with little money and less security in a society where a woman’s future depends on marriage. The reserved, dutiful Elinor falls for the quietly honorable Edward Ferrars (MacKay) while guarding her feelings; the passionate Marianne throws herself at the dashing but dangerous Willoughby (Dillane) and pays for it. Oakley foregrounds the sisters’ relationship — the film’s emotional engine is what the two women owe each other, not just whom they marry.
What works
Daisy Edgar-Jones is the film’s anchor. Her Elinor is all restraint and inner turbulence — a performance built on pauses, held glances and sudden, devastating tears. Her chemistry with MacKay’s Edward, another practitioner of emotional economy, gives their slow-burn romance its ache. Creed-Miles is her perfect counterweight, all reckless feeling as Marianne.
The look is distinctive. Shot on 35mm by cinematographer Arnaud Potier with naturalistic lighting, this is an earthier Austen than we’re used to — muddy lanes, weathered stone, sisters with windswept hair rather than immaculate ringlets. For a story about women with no safety net, the textures feel honest. The tagline says it all: “Being agreeable never did a woman any good.”
The ensemble is strong. Fiona Shaw brings wry warmth as Mrs. Jennings, Caitríona Balfe and Stacy Martin round out the adult world pressing in on the sisters, and Frank Dillane makes Willoughby every bit the cad the novel demands.
Where it divides
Critics have been warm rather than rapturous, and the divide is instructive. The Telegraph‘s Robbie Collin gave it five stars, calling it “Austen with the bonnets blown off.” The Guardian‘s Peter Bradshaw was cooler at three stars, finding that “some of the sensibility is lacking,” while The Times dismissed it as “Austen by numbers.” The muted palette and melancholy register that some critics praise as intimate, others read as flat — the romance’s wit and spark occasionally get lost in the mist. Purists wedded to the 1995 film may find the earthiness a step too far from Austen’s drawing-room sparkle.
In the shadow of 1995
Any new Sense and Sensibility is measured against Ang Lee’s version — a Best Picture nominee for which Emma Thompson won the Oscar for adapted screenplay, and which earned Kate Winslet her first nomination. Oakley wisely refuses the direct contest. Where Lee’s film is polished and luminous, hers is rougher and more contemporary in feeling, centered on sisterhood and the economic precarity that actually drives the plot. It is a comparison, not a competition — and new generations deserve their own Austen.
The verdict, again
Oakley, whose debut Blue Jean won the audience award at Venice Days, confirms herself as a director of rare sensitivity. This Sense and Sensibility may not convert every devotee of the 1995 film, but it is tender, beautifully acted and quietly its own thing — and Edgar-Jones gives one of the year’s most awards-worthy period performances. Austen fans should go; skeptics might be surprised.
Frequently asked questions
When does Sense and Sensibility (2026) come out in the US?
It premiered in London on September 15, 2026, opened in the UK on September 25, 2026, and releases in US theaters on October 16, 2026, from Focus Features.
Who plays Elinor and Marianne Dashwood?
Daisy Edgar-Jones plays Elinor and Esmé Creed-Miles plays Marianne. George MacKay is Edward Ferrars and Frank Dillane is Willoughby.
Is it a remake of the 1995 film?
No — it is a new adaptation of Jane Austen’s 1811 novel from director Georgia Oakley and screenwriter Diana Reid, with a more grounded, naturalistic style than Ang Lee’s version.
What do the reviews say?
Reviews are generally favorable: 77% on Rotten Tomatoes (average 7/10) and a Metacritic score in the low 70s. Critics praise the performances and visuals while debating the film’s muted tone.
Is it suitable for children?
The film is rated PG, making it one of the more family-friendly options among this season’s releases — though its romantic drama is aimed squarely at teens and adults.
How long is the movie?
It runs 2 hours 11 minutes.