Sense and Sensibility

Starring: Emma Thompson, Kate Winslet, Hugh Grant, Tom Wilkinson, Alan Rickman, Gemma Jones, Greg Wise, Imelda Staunton, Hugh Laurie, Imogen Stubbs, Harriet Walter, James Fleet, Robert Hardy, Elizabeth Spriggs
Directed by: Ang Lee
Rating: PG
Genre: Drama
1995

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: After Mr. Dashwood dies, his second wife and three daughters are left in a precarious financial situation. They turn to potential relationships as they try to navigate society and their new lives.

Review:

Tim: I've long been a big fan of Jane Austen. Her novels give wonderful insight into English society and culture in the early 1800s. I'd never read her first novel, but the story seems to follow her typical approach. Sense and Sensibility is a truly effective adaptation, establishing likable and interesting characters, throwing some chaos and adversity in their lives, and allowing us to watch as they try to make their way in the world. This film is pretty much exactly what we want from a film like this.

I do think this film is noteworthy because of the script. Emma Thompson wrote the screenplay, in addition to starring in the movie. Thompson's script works wonders, breathing life into these characters and keeping the action moving. This film might be long (2 hours, 16 minutes) but it never feels overly so. The film builds momentum early and it holds our attention throughout the conclusion. I've watched a lot of these kinds of movies and that is rare. Thompson's script certainly helps, but you also have to give immense credit to director Ang Lee. In the hands of a lesser director, this film would have undoubtedly suffered. It took someone with Lee's talent to tell a story that never really drags, but continues to move everyone forward. The combination of a great script and a thoroughly talented director works wonders for this movie.

The cast is a major reason for the film's success, too. Emma Thompson is wonderful in front of the camera, too. She shines as Elinor, giving a heartfelt, warm, memorable performance. She makes the character feel alive, not part of "period piece". She has a tremendous counterpart in Kate Winslet, who gives a stunning performance. Winslet's talent is boundless and she pours so much into the character of Marianne. This is absolutely one of the chief strengths of this film- you get to watch two powerhouse actresses- Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet- play off each other, utilizing a strong source material from Jane Austen, and deliver exceptional performances. There's a few scenes where it's just Thompson and Winslet and their back-and-forth is remarkable. It's rare to get the chance to watch two unbelievably talented actresses work together like this (and that's a sad statement about Hollywood). The chance to see these two delivering Austen lines just made me incredibly happy. I loved their performances and their work together.

The supporting cast is excellent. We only get Tom Wilkinson for a few minutes, but he makes every film better- and he does that here. Hugh Grant gives a typically charismatic, memorable performance. His performance isn't always expected, but he makes a lasting impression. I loved his character's introduction- within just a few minutes, he's established as an incredibly likable person. I loved the script for doing that and how Grant played it. Alan Rickman is wonderful, too. His presence here felt like an embarrassment of riches. Rickman is one of the all-time great actors and it was delightful seeing him in this role. Hugh Laurie worked well in a small supporting role- mostly comedic relief, but there's more to the character than you first expect. Harriet Walker is quite memorable in an unlikable role. Gemma Jones felt a bit forgettable in hers. Elizabeth Spriggs gives a larger-than-life performance, making her presence felt in every one of her scenes. Imogen Stubbs has some memorable scenes, too. Greg Wise is decent- his performance feels a bit uneven, but there were times when I really enjoyed what he did in his role. There were times when I was less enthused, but that doesn't mean he didn't have some high points. I really did love the cast- to see Thompson, Winslet, Grant, Rickman, Wilkinson (for a few), Laurie- there's just so many great actors in this movie.

Ang Lee directs an exceptionally well-made movie. The film was nominated for 7 Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Thompson and Winslet were both nominated for acting awards, Lead and Supporting- and those were well-deserved. The film snagged noms for Best Cinematography, and Best Original Dramatic Score. Both were impressive, not surprising they got recognized with nominations for those. I'm honestly surprised it didn't win Best Costume Design. The costumes in Restoration were very good, but I thought this film could have walked away with the win. The film only took home 1 Academy Award, for Best Adapted Screenplay. It's pretty amazing that Thompson gave such a remarkable performance, but she walked away with an Oscar for her script.

Sense and Sensibility is definitely worth a watch. It's exceptionally well made, well written, well acted. It adapts one of the great writers' first novel and it gives us deep insight into what life was like in England in the early 1800s at the society level. What makes Austen's work great and what succeeds with this film, though, is that it's about human beings and human emotions. We can all relate to experiences and emotions the Dashwoods feel in this film. That relatableness is why the novel works and why this movie is so deserving of our time.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating- 7.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Pride and Prejudice, Howards End, The Remains of the Day, Restoration