Common Sense Media Review
Lush, witty, romantic adaptation of Jane Austen's novel.
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Sense and Sensibility
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 9 parent reviews
Based on 18 kid reviews
Kids say this film features a great cast and strong performances, particularly praising the acting of Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet, while also highlighting its engaging plot based on a classic novel. However, some viewers found it a bit slow and suggested it may not appeal to younger kids without an interest in period dramas.
- great cast
- engaging plot
- strong performances
- not for young kids
- a bit slow
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
SENSE AND SENSIBILITY follows the Dashwood sisters as sensible Elinor (Emma Thompson) and passionate Marianne (Kate Winslet) are left impoverished after their father's death because the law awards their estate to a half-brother. They retreat to a little cottage by the sea and hope to marry well. But this is a trying task, since Elinor falls for a young man (Hugh Grant) who is previously engaged, and Marianne is literally swept off her feet by a handsome rogue (Greg Wise). As the sisters find love—and lose it—their family's fate remains to be seen.
Is It Any Good?
What makes this Austen adaptation so endearing is its loving depiction of the Dashwood family as a high-spirited and supportive clan. Sense and Sensibility shows how women in upper-class Georgian England, though privileged, had relatively few choices in life. The beautiful, funny movie creates a buzz of excitement around the Dashwood sisters' romantic intrigue. Some of the characters you'll love to hate (e.g., the Dashwoods' horrible, gloating sister-in-law Fanny, played bitingly by Harriet Walter), and others you'll absolutely adore (Myriam Emilie Francois' little Margaret Dashwood, the future pirate). Romantics and anyone with a penchant for Jane Austen will have a ball with this film. The movie strikes the same wistful chord as fellow late-1990s hit Titanic, and this one (spoiler alert?) even ends happily!
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why "costume dramas" such as Sense and Sensibility are popular. Did you enjoy seeing how people once lived, dressed, and interacted? Do you think all people living in Georgian England enjoyed such clothes, balls, servants, and wealth? Why aren't more films about the far more common experiences of the time?
Have you read any Jane Austen novels? What do you see as the challenges of adapting an Austen novel into a film?
How are the values of the time conveyed in this movie, and how are they similar to and different from today's values, in terms of love, money, and family?
How do the characters in Sense and Sensibility demonstrate empathy and integrity? Why are these important character strengths?
Movie Details
- In theaters : January 1, 1995
- On DVD or streaming : September 25, 2004
- Cast : Emma Thompson , Kate Winslet , Hugh Grant , Alan Rickman
- Director : Ang Lee
- Inclusion Information : Asian Movie Director(s) , Female Movie Actor(s) , Female Movie Writer(s)
- Studio : Sony Pictures
- Genre : Romance
- Topics : Book Characters , Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Friendship
- Character Strengths : Empathy , Integrity
- Run time : 136 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : mild thematic elements.
- Awards : Academy Award - Best Picture Nominee , Academy Award - Other Category Winner , Academy Award - Other Category Nominee , BAFTA - BAFTA Winner , BAFTA - BAFTA Nominee , Golden Globe - Golden Globe Award Winner , Golden Globe - Golden Globe Award Nominee
- Last updated : November 29, 2025
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