Sense and Sensibility

 

This review may contain spoilers!

Sense and Sensibility is an adaptation of the Jane Austen classic novel of the same name. In this feature, we follow the Dashwood sisters, who face social and economic hardship after their father passes away. Their future prospects lie in the chance of a fortunate match with a gentleman; this is their story of finding love.

I simply adore a Jane Austen adaptation; it is so rare to find a period romance like this that doesn't absolutely pull out every conceivable stop. This is truly no different, a real gem given it's Georgia Oakley's major mainstream debut. There is a formula to an Austen film, and the trap is falling into that without carving something forth that is truly unique in its presentation. This take on Sense and Sensibility celebrates the kinship amongst women; we see it through the way they play and laugh, gossip and trade secrets, and endure hardship with one another. There's a steady series of sequences in which the Dashwood women toil at their garden together in the film that I think is filled with as much beauty as a furtive glance between matchmade lovers. Oakley understands that Austen's works aren't just about the scintillating romance storylines; they are an idyllic portrait of another time and another style of livelihood. It's a story rife with your gossips and bullies (Martin and Coveney), your comical characters (Brooke, Pirrie and Slater), the lovable hosts (Convery) and even the seedy roles that are tough to love (Bothwell). This is a tapestry of a story and a cast that you can really get swept away in if you let it. Even the way this film is edited feels like you are gently turning the pages of the book from cover to close.

There is a real sense of emotion to this story, a joy when all of the sisters are together. The youngest, Margaret (played by Breathnach), is an absolute source of hilarity. Her energy is infectious and sets this film running from the start of the feature. Watching these young women despair is difficult because you see them trying to make the best of things; you like their characters and you fear for what will happen to them now. The coursing thread of this film is the romance between Elinor Dashwood and Edward Ferrars, which is the best performance of the film given by Daisy Edgar-Jones and George MacKay. This pair feels bound for one another from the very first moment we meet them, longing glances, a lingering touch and loving words on the cusp of being spoken. It's a fragile love story that races forth and then almost seems to fly out of reach, the two leads almost appearing broken at the thought of losing one another. The ending of the feature and its inevitable joyous conclusion are exceptionally satisfying as a result.

Whilst Elinor and Edward are the couple we hope for the most throughout, it is Marianne Dashwood's story that often speaks the loudest. A storyline that plays for sadness as often as it plays for humour, it really is a plot that has fun in the drama of it all. Marianne is a wild and dramatic young woman, portrayed by Esmé Creed-Miles. She gets to really play big, lean into the comedy and chase romance chaotically. Watching the classic Austen stoic man (Nordrum) pine for her whilst she engages with a dangerous match is enticing and leads to a satisfying end. The whole affair is fuelled by comedic side commentary given by Mrs Jennings, an eccentric gossip who fashions herself a matchmaker and is played with great hilarity by Fiona Shaw. Watching Creed-Miles and Edgar-Jones explore the bonds of sisterhood and how much they are tested by the experiences of London is a wonderful instance of exemplary acting. There is a feeling of something missing in that the mother, Mrs Dashwood (Balfe), is often diminished across the film and struggles to be placed in a scene.

There is a very real sense of natural beauty to Sense and Sensibility. The framing throughout captures broad landscapes awash with colour, classic art that propels you right there. But there is an incredible sense of the wild world around the Dashwoods, and sometimes we get these breathtaking shots of a hawk in flight, or a herd of deer galloping, or even a small insect delicately wriggling along young Margaret's finger. This is the wonder of this adaptation; it loves being so free in a natural world. London still feels lavish, and it's a feat to capture such strong internal and external period spaces. However, it is when our characters find themselves in the countryside that this movie really knows how to step up. The atmosphere of this is again uplifted by that beautiful musical score, a passionate series of tracks that really sing to the wonder, heart and, at times, tragedy of this piece.

However, for all the shining qualities of Sense and Sensibility, I don't feel it is without its flaws. It really sacrifices nothing and is in no hurry to conclude, meaning that this slow-burning romance can drag on when it comes to aspects of the pacing. I also felt it really did nothing to leave you wondering; there was absolutely no sense of pretence to this. I think a film that can be entirely predictable and often signposts its story can bore an audience, though as a classic work there is some expectation here. I also found myself thinking there were a few performers who just struggled to find their way to presenting a period role; Eliot Sumner is a very relevant example. But the better example is Frank Dillane, who manages to present an unlikeable figure as was intended, but who really struggles to find his way to a foppish, despondent period-accurate gentleman. There was no worse scene than Dillane and Nordrum's duel, which was a bit of a pantomime and quite overdone.

Another absolutely enchanting Austen adaptation that is really going to stand the test of time. I would give Sense and Sensibility an 8.5/10.