Georgia Oakley's Sense and Sensibility: reviews split on warmth versus gloom
Georgia Oakley's new film of Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility opens in US theaters on 16 October. Screen Rant's review praises its emotion and humour, while the New York Post finds it gloomy and lifeless.
1 / 2
The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2Georgia Oakley's new film adaptation of Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility opens in US theaters on Friday, 16 October 2026. Screen RantN “Sense and Sensibility releases in US theaters on Friday, October 16.” Read at Screen Rant ↗ New York PostR “In theaters Oct. 16.” Read at New York Post ↗ Mixed · 2The cast includes Daisy Edgar-Jones as Elinor, Esmé Creed-Miles as Marianne, George MacKay as Edward Ferrars, Frank Dillane as Willoughby, Herbert Nordrum as Colonel Brandon, Caitríona Balfe as Mrs. Dashwood and Fiona Shaw as Mrs. Jennings. Screen RantN “Elinor (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and Marianne (Esmé Creed-Miles)” Read at Screen Rant ↗ New York PostR “Caitríona Balfe recedes into the many shadows as mom Mrs. Dashwood, and Fiona Shaw’s gregariousness as Mrs. Jennings crosses into overacting.” Read at New York Post ↗ Mixed · 2The story follows the Dashwood women, who lose their home after the death of Henry Dashwood and must start again with little money, while Elinor and Marianne's romances take painful turns. Screen RantN “So, when we meet the Dashwood girls, they are about to leave the only home they've ever known with little to their name.” Read at Screen Rant ↗ New York PostR “The family at the story’s center is booted from their cherished home and is forced to pack into a cramped cottage.” Read at New York Post ↗
Centre · 1Screen Rant's Alex Harrison calls the film "a lovely film, with many merits" that is funny, beautiful and emotionally involving, and says it does better with restraint than with unbridled passion. Screen RantN “But Oakley has made a lovely film, with many merits.”“Though it does better with restraint than with unbridled passion” Read at Screen Rant ↗ Centre · 1Harrison singles out the chemistry between Edgar-Jones and MacKay, Nordrum's performance, and Arnaud Potier's painterly cinematography, though he found Marianne and Willoughby's romance less convincing and thinks Edgar-Jones sometimes pushes too hard. Screen RantN “her chemistry with George MacKay is instantaneous”“I found Marianne's whirlwind romance with Willoughby less convincing.” Read at Screen Rant ↗ Centre · 1He describes the film as a freer, more grounded take that focuses on how the romances ripple through the family, and acknowledges that some viewers may dislike how it undermines the stately costume drama. Screen RantN “undoubtedly, some will chafe at how this one undermines the stately costume drama” Read at Screen Rant ↗
Right · 1The New York Post's Johnny Oleksinski gives a negative verdict, calling the film "overwhelmingly dark and dreary" and "weirdly gloomy and depressing", with little sweeping romance and no relationship worth investing in. New York PostR “overwhelmingly dark and dreary take that doesn’t offer much in the way of sweeping romance”“there is no relationship here worth getting invested in” Read at New York Post ↗ Right · 1He compares it unfavourably with Ang Lee's 1995 adaptation, criticises the actors as barely smiling, and objects to Roger Goula's "sinister strings" score and a shaky-camera style by Oakley and cinematographer Arnaud Potier. New York PostR “Oakley’s off-putting, dour version couldn’t be more different than Ang Lee’s sublime 1995 adaptation”“Oakley and cinematographer Arnaud Potier frequently opt for an annoying shaky camera technique” Read at New York Post ↗ Mixed · 2Both reviews single out Edgar-Jones and MacKay's pairing as central, but they differ on whether it works: Screen Rant praises their chemistry, while the Post says the actors "barely crack a smile". The Post lists the film's running time as 131 minutes and its rating as PG. Screen RantN “The space between Elinor and Edward becomes so full of feeling that the frame could burst.” Read at Screen Rant ↗ New York PostR “But these actors barely crack a smile”“Running time: 131 minutes. Rated PG (thematic elements, partial nudity and brief violence).” Read at New York Post ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- A warm, appreciative review that treats the film as another worthy Austen adaptation, valuing its emotion, humour and focus on family.
- Emphasis
- Oakley's attention to the link between characters and their surroundings, the Elinor-Edward chemistry, Nordrum's Brandon and the family ensemble.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not discuss the 1995 Ang Lee version or the score, and mentions only briefly that some viewers may find the film undermines the costume drama.
- Charged language
- “lovely film”“sweet, sweet longing”
- For example
-
“But Oakley has made a lovely film, with many merits.” — Screen Rant
“Another Great Jane Austen Movie Brings Laughs, Sighs & Good Tears” — Screen Rant
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- A sharply negative, jokey review that says the film is joyless and bleak and that it is unfavourably compared with the 1995 Ang Lee film.
- Emphasis
- Dark tone, lack of romance, unlikeable or unconvincing performances, ominous score and shaky camerawork.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention the film's humour or the family dynamics that Screen Rant highlights, and offers little praise of its craft beyond Edgar-Jones.
- Charged language
- “doom and gloom”“downer director”“drained of color like a Soviet prison”“a drag”
- For example
-
““Sense and Sensibility”? More like doom and gloom.” — New York Post
“drained of color like a Soviet prison” — New York Post
What every side reports
- The film is Georgia Oakley's adaptation of Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility and opens in US theaters on 16 October.
- Daisy Edgar-Jones plays Elinor and George MacKay plays Edward Ferrars.
- The Dashwood women lose their home after Henry Dashwood's death.
Where accounts differ
-
Tone and emotional impact of the film
- Centre
- Screen Rant finds it funny, beautiful and moving, with "laughs, sighs & good tears".
- Right
- The New York Post finds it "weirdly gloomy and depressing" and drained of romance.
-
Edgar-Jones and MacKay's performances
- Centre
- Their chemistry is "instantaneous", though Edgar-Jones sometimes pushes a bit too hard.
- Right
- The actors "barely crack a smile" and MacKay looks shell-shocked, though Edgar-Jones is called "always excellent".
-
Visual style
- Centre
- Praises Potier's "painterly cinematography".
- Right
- Criticises an "annoying shaky camera technique" that jostles the viewer out of scenes.
Georgia Oakley person
Screen Rant credits Oakley with a talent for capturing the relationship between people and their surroundings, as in her debut Blue Jean. The New York Post calls her a "downer director" who made a dreary, off-putting version.
“Director Georgia Oakley showed a talent for capturing the relationship between a person and their surroundings in her striking debut feature, Blue Jean” — Screen Rant
“downer director Georgia Oakley” — New York Post
Sense and Sensibility (2026 film) other
The film is presented in one review as a funny, moving and grounded reading of Austen, and in the other as a gloomy, poorly assembled drama that is overly keen to distance itself from the 1995 film.
“This is a freer, more grounded Sense and Sensibility” — Screen Rant
“this entire movie is obsessively concerned with being made in 2026 and separating itself from the Ang Lee film” — New York Post
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre1 article
-
Screen RantN · · Opinion
Sense And Sensibility Review: Another Great Jane Austen Movie Brings Laughs, Sighs & Good Tears
Sympathetic Admiring review praising the film's emotional depth, humour and family focus, with minor reservations about the Willoughby romance.
Right1 article
-
New York PostR · · Opinion
‘Sense and Sensibility’ review: Jane Austen romance is weirdly gloomy and depressing
Dismissive Mocking, negative review that calls the film gloomy and unromantic and favours the 1995 adaptation.
- 12 Oct 14:00 First Screen RantN Sense And Sensibility Review: Another Great Jane Austen Movie Brings Laughs, Sighs & Good Tears Opinion
- 12 Oct 23:44 +9h 45m New York PostR ‘Sense and Sensibility’ review: Jane Austen romance is weirdly gloomy and depressing Opinion
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
Ask about this story
Loading…