Parents' Guide to Sense and Sensibility

This movie adaptation of Jane Austen's beloved debut novel is definitely a riveting, if not particularly original, retelling. Director Georgia Oakley's second feature (following her BAFTA-nominated debut Blue Jean), Sense and Sensibility will likely satisfy Austen purists, while injecting some earthy wildness into the story. Creed-Miles's Marianne in particular is portrayed here as a young woman who's rarely content inside—the scenes of her frolicking in nature, delighting in a rainstorm, and generally appearing chaotic and unkempt make for a poignant link between her need for freedom and passion, and the more refined and narrow expectations of society. Edgar-Jones is well-cast as the more cautious and gentle Elinor, and the two have a believably warm chemistry that centers the relationship between the sisters well. The various suitors all make their parts just enough their own to break free of past adaptations—most memorably Ang Lee's 1995 version starring Hugh Grant, Alan Rickman, and Greg Wise. The standout character, though, is Mrs. Jennings, played with joyous absurdity by Fiona Shaw. She provides much-needed comedy interludes and an example of a woman who engages with society but seems unwilling to follow, or simply oblivious to, some of its more confining rules. While the fresh touches are modest and there's nothing radically new here, this is a spirited and enjoyable adaptation that makes its runtime of over two hours fly by.