Sense and Sensibility Remake: Daisy Edgar-Jones Leads New Jane Austen Adaptation

A Sober-Minded Take on Austen

Georgia Oakley’s 2022 debut was the queer character study Blue Jean. Diana Reid’s screenplay introduces a subtle shift by firmly centering the quarrelsome yet bonded older Dashwood sisters, Elinor and Marianne. In the film, Daisy Edgar-Jones stars as the restrained and rational Elinor, while Esmé Creed-Miles plays her unbridled, passionate sister Marianne. The production’s supporting cast features Caitríona Balfe as Mrs. Dashwood, Bodhi Rae Breathnach as younger sister Margaret, George MacKay as Edward Ferrars, and Frank Dillane as Willoughby. Additional cast members include Fiona Shaw, Stacy Martin, Tom Brooke, Turlough Convery, Chloe Pirrie, Eliot Sumner, Bethany Slater, and Ceara Coveney.

Contrasting With Past Adaptations

Critical response highlights a stark contrast between Oakley’s interpretation and Ang Lee’s celebrated 1995 film adaptation, which was scripted by Emma Thompson. Oakley’s film struggles to step out from the long shadow of the 1995 version, noting that the new adaptation leans so heavily into crushing disappointments and gender inequity that the tone becomes overwhelmingly morose. While The Telegraph describes the production as a wildly entertaining do-over, other critics find the heavy focus on the characters’ downbeat moods diminishes the romantic stakes of their longing for their respective suitors. According to The Times, the film ultimately delivers a flat take on the material, leaving reviewers divided on whether the fresh spin successfully engages modern audiences.