Sense and Sensibility review roundup: a warm, faithful Jane Austen with two standout sisters
Georgia Oakley's new Sense and Sensibility stars Daisy Edgar-Jones and Esmé Creed-Miles as the Dashwood sisters, two very different young women looking for love with no money behind them. Most critics found it a faithful, swoony and melancholy adaptation, though some missed Austen's wit.
The story (no spoilers)
When Mr Dashwood dies, his estate passes to his son John, and John's wife Fanny talks him out of the help his father wanted him to give his stepmother and half-sisters. Mrs Dashwood (Caitríona Balfe) and her daughters lose their home and move to a modest cottage in Devonshire offered by a distant relative, Mrs Jennings (Fiona Shaw).
Sensible Elinor (Daisy Edgar-Jones) has quietly fallen for the reserved Edward Ferrars (George MacKay), while passionate Marianne (Esmé Creed-Miles) finds herself between the steady Colonel Brandon (Herbert Nordrum) and the dashing John Willoughby (Frank Dillane). With no dowries to speak of, both sisters must weigh love against security.
Where to watch or download
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The verdict
A lovely choice for Austen fans and anyone who enjoys period romance, best seen on a big screen. It will not replace Ang Lee's 1995 version for many viewers, but critics say it has enough fresh feeling, and two excellent leads, to stand on its own.
- 76%Rotten TomatoesTomatometer, Certified Fresh, 94 reviews, 18 Oct 2026
- 71MetacriticMetascore, 38 critic reviews, 18 Oct 2026
- 89%RT audiencePopcornmeter, 100+ verified ratings, 18 Oct 2026
What critics say
“Georgia Oakley's adaptation of Jane Austen's timeless, beloved 1811 novel is enchanting and beautiful, just as it should be.”
“Oakley never impresses too much of the modern on a well-wrought, classic story.”
“Fans of the source material may be satiated by this dutiful adaptation, but it won't set many hearts aflutter.”
“Oakley's more grounded drama also feels oddly safe, with a seriousness of tone that strips away some of the wit and comedy that makes Austen's work, well, Austenesque.”
What works
- Daisy Edgar-Jones and Esmé Creed-Miles make a convincing, touching pair of sisters.
- Faithful to the novel while bringing out its melancholy and the limits placed on women.
- A warm, earthy period look and a romantic, cosy mood.
- Critics single out Esmé Creed-Miles as a breakout.
What doesn't
- Some critics felt its serious tone loses Austen's wit and comedy.
- Others found it safe and restrained, with too little passion.
- Some scenes explain the characters' feelings rather than showing them.
Sense and Sensibility opened in UK cinemas on 25 September 2026 and in the US on 16 October through Focus Features. It is the third Jane Austen adaptation from Focus and Working Title Films, after Pride & Prejudice in 2005 and Emma in 2020. Georgia Oakley, whose debut was the 2022 drama Blue Jean, directs from a screenplay by the novelist Diana Reid.
What critics liked
TheWrap's William Bibbiani called it enchanting, beautiful and intensely riveting, and credited Oakley with finding more melancholy than usual in a story everyone knows, keeping the hard realities of women's lives in Georgian England front and centre. IndieWire's Ryan Lattanzio gave it a B+, praising an often swoony adaptation that sticks to the text but still has plenty fresh to say, and RogerEbert.com described it as cosy as a sleepover.
The performances
Edgar-Jones's restrained Elinor and Creed-Miles's fiery Marianne get the best notices, and IndieWire picked Creed-Miles as the film's breakout. Caitríona Balfe plays their mother, while George MacKay, Herbert Nordrum and Frank Dillane play the three very different men in the sisters' lives.
Where it falls short
Not everyone was swept away. Variety's Beatrice Loayza found the film oddly safe and too serious, and felt the leads do not quite breathe new life into their characters. The A.V. Club's Monica Castillo called it a dutiful, restrained adaptation that could have used more passion, and almost every review measures it against Ang Lee's much-loved 1995 film.
Should you watch?
With a Certified Fresh 76% Tomatometer, an 89% audience score and an A- CinemaScore, audiences have taken to it even more readily than critics. If you love Austen or period romance, it is an easy recommendation for a trip to the cinema.
Sources
This roundup summarises the reviews and reporting below. Follow the links for the full pieces.
- Sense and Sensibility review · TheWrap
- 'Sense and Sensibility' Review: Daisy Edgar-Jones and George MacKay Suffuse an Unfussy Jane Austen Adaptation with Earthly Sensuality · IndieWire
- 'Sense and Sensibility' Review: Moody, Naturalistic Spin on a Classic · Variety
- Sense and Sensibility review · The A.V. Club
- Sense and Sensibility (2026) · Rotten Tomatoes
- Sense and Sensibility (2026) · Metacritic
- Sense and Sensibility (2026 film) · Wikipedia
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