Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility has been adapted once again, starring Daisy Edgar-Jones and Esmé Creed-Miles as Elinor and Marianne Dashwood. The film was released on October 16, 2026.
By: Emily Drivick
Sense and Sensibility (2026) is filled with whimsy and love, and I am convinced that period dramas are coming back after the release of this movie. I’ve read Austen’s novel in the past, and this film brought the story to life in such a beautiful way. When I first started watching, I thoroughly enjoyed the nature shots taken. The small moments of Romantic bliss truly set the scene for the time period the book was written in.
Sometimes, period pieces can feel slow and boring. It’s such an unfamiliar setting and way of life, but universes like Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton series have increased demand for similar stories. Although it took me a little while to become familiar with the style of the movie, these characters became my friends in a short amount of time. I didn’t realize how invested I was in the story until the stakes soared to new heights.
My first impressions of the film were skeptical because book-to-screen adaptations can be risky to pull off! How does one impress readers while also pursuing creative ideas to make the film original? Genuinely, it can be an impossible task. However, Sense and Sensibility (2026) filled me with intrigue while also including the important scenes in the novel itself.
I’ve been a fan of Daisy Edgar-Jones since her performance in Normal People with Paul Mescal. She did not hold back as Elinor Dashwood, and her combination of logical thinking and naivety when it comes to love was so well-done. One of my favorite lines spoken by Elinor in Austen’s novel is, “I greatly esteem him.” It is one of the most iconic lines in the book, and this interaction with Marianne truly emphasized their differences; Marianne falls madly in love with people, and Elinor can barely express her emotions outwardly. When she meets Edward, it feels like the breath is taken from her lungs. Their eye contact is so intense throughout the film, and the tension between them grows heavier as they grow to love each other in the worst of circumstances. As someone who is known to think with her head and not her heart, it was rewarding to see Elinor’s emotional “happily-ever-after” moment with Edward.
I was shockingly surprised by the performances of Esmé Creed-Miles and George MacKay. Marianne Dashwood is one of my favorite characters because of how passionate and emotional she is, and Creed-Miles exceeded my expectations. Her presence in the film was both funny and devastating. Marianne overexaggerates everything, but her losses hit me in a similar way. She has strict rules about the person she will fall in love with. She specifically says, “The man who loves me must burn with it with all his passions, without the slightest restraint or hesitation.” However, one’s passion is not enough.
Edward Ferrers was not my favorite book in the novel. He seemed very boring, and I was uninterested. However, MacKay portrays him as a sweet, quiet man in love. There were no huge gestures, but one can tell that he cares for Elinor. Their love is quiet yet unmoving, which is a theme to take away from the film. Additionally, Herbert Nordrum’s portrayal of Colonel Brandon is also quiet and stoic. As the story progresses and his emotions are impacted by his love, his hard exterior softens through his acts of service to Marianne.
Elinor and Marianne’s attitudes balance each other out. While one has the sense, the other represents sensibility. Although love and marriage play a huge role in the plot of the film, it can be easily forgotten that this tale is one of sisterhood. Elinor and Marianne’s family lost everything, and they must search for a match. There were some lovely, heartfelt scenes of Marianne and Elinor with their younger sister, Margaret. She observes and takes inspiration from her older sisters. While Elinor most likely teaches her the rules of women in this society, Marianne shows her how to be wild and free in nature.
Overall, I was thoroughly pleased with this film and glad to have seen it on the big screen. I firmly believed that nothing would top Joe Wright’s adaptation of Pride and Prejudice (2005), but Sense and Sensibility (2026) may have surpassed it in my period-piece rankings. It evoked many emotions, and it is another reminder of how strong and independent women are.
