Quartile rating: 7.5/10 · 1 rating
The Dashwood sisters, sensible Elinor and passionate Marianne, learn that their prospects of marriage seem doomed by their family's sudden loss of fortune. After Henry Dashwood dies unexpectedly, his estate must pass on by law to his son. These circumstances leave Mr. Dashwood's wife and daughters without a home and with barely enough money to live on. As Elinor and Marianne struggle to find romantic fulfillment in a society obsessed with financial and social status, they must learn to mix sense with sensibility in their dealings with both money and men.
Ang Lee's adaptation of Austen's beloved novel is elevated enormously by its performances — Emma Thompson (who also wrote the screenplay) delivers a masterclass in restrained emotion, with strong support from Kate Winslet, Hugh Grant, and Alan Rickman. The script earns its BAFTA, finding wit and depth within the period constraints. However, as an adaptation of a widely-known classic novel, its Novelty is limited — this is a faithful, beautifully executed rendering rather than a distinctive reimagining. The cinematography is handsome but conventional for the genre. The ending satisfies emotionally and resolves the dual romantic arcs neatly, though it follows Austen's template closely without cinematic surprise.