Sense and Sensibility

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Romantic Comedy
Review: This is a great film. Outstanding acting, lots of suspense, and lots of humor. The scenes of parties in England are wonderful just to watch. The dialog is engaging, the filming is almost perfect, and the story line keeps the viewers interest from start to finish. Well worth the money.

Rating:
Summary: Loved it!
Review: I just got done watching this movie, and I think it's great! Granted you pretty much have to be into these kind of movies to like it (it's NOT a date movie), this is more of a rainy day on the couch under a blanket kind of movie. The music, the visuals, and each character's swirling emotions drag you in. Emma Thompson did an awesome job writing this screenplay! Each character was well-developed (except the now you see him, now you don't Willoughby), and each actor did an excellent job bringing their characters to life. If you like this sort of movie, don't pass this one up!

Rating:
Summary: Pleasant Diversion
Review: This is the kind of film you want to watch on a very cold winter day, wrapped up in a blanket with a fire going and a cup of hot chocolate. It is visually appealing and the stars perform admirably. Any complaints I had would be with the original story, not the film ( Marianne is too good for the poor Colonel; Edward isn't good enough for Eleanor). Stepping back to a gentler time, one certainly admires the gracious good manners of the day, even if they prevented people from ever speaking their minds or acting upon their dreams. This is a fun movie. Alan Rickman as the tender Colonel and Emma Thompson as the brave Eleanor carry the show.

Rating:
Summary: "Senseless Sensibility"
Review: Emma Thompson's adaptation of Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility is sure to have you leaving the theater. This "romantic" style film is set in England during the late 18th Century. The film is about a set of sisters who try to marry-off to the right man in the midst of their father's death. Along the way, come three men who aid and attempt to court the two sisters, Marianne and Elinor Dashwood. Eventually, the women marry.
The only thing that "Sense and Sensibility" has going for itself is brainless feminine humor and awkward comedic timing. This movie moves too slow and the romanticism is corny. I think that this movie is a good representation of its time, however, you men should save your[money]. I do applaud Alan Rickman for a reel performance of a true, classy man. Although, like all classy men, he was continuously the "hero of the day" but, conveniently put aside for another man until the end of the picture.
Ang Lee, director of "Sense and Sensibility," is no stranger to fame in Hollywood. He has won seven awards for "Sense and Sensibility" and 13 awards for the highly praised "Wo hu cang long," (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon). It is hard to compare these two critically acclaimed films by Lee since they are at the opposite ends of Hollywood's spectrum. Sorry guys, no where in "Sense and Sensibility" will you see Hugh Grant and Alan Rickman throw down in a martial arts fight. However, like "Wo hu cang long" Lee's direction of "Sense and Sensibility" is based on capturing the moment of human expression. Such expressions can be seen in the various emotional breakdowns by Kate Winslet.
Most critics agree that this film is an accurate representation of Austen's 1795 book. Roger Ebert has also said that "Sense and Sensibility" is, "an enjoyable film, and yet it left me somehow unsatisfied. I liked the wit, I liked the charm of the actors, I enjoyed the way that Rickman chewed his role as if he wanted to make it last, and the tension when Grant's Edward is made to suffer - particularly since he appears to be a cad only because he has tried to do the right thing. And I appreciated the way Thompson's Elinor kept her character's face carefully expressionless as she negotiated scenes in which some knew her secrets and others did not."
Men, this movie is not the cream of the crop. However, you should be able to score points by recommending this film to your girl friends for their "Friday Night Chick Flick ." This is Eugene Morris Jerome, and remember, "If your not at the movies, your wasting your time."

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful!
Review: If you liked the book by Jane Austen, then you MUST see this movie adaption. Emma Thompson has done a wonderful job adapting Jane Austen's text to film -- the dialogue is just as snappy & fun as the writing. This is one of those rare cases in which I liked the movie as well as the book. The movie's setting & cast even exceeded the mental pictures I concocted in reading -- the Barton cottage & the choices of Hugh Grant for the role of Edward and Thompson & Winslet for the sisters are perfect matches for Austen's witty descriptions. The few scenes from the book which are left out seem incidental to the heart of the story -- also, a few characters are left out or "streamlined" into one. My only complaint is the "Hollywood" ending with Marianne's sudden transition to happiness. Austen shows her gradually coming back around to love -- which seems much more true to life. If you've read this book, you'll want to see the movie -- Thompson is to Austen as Kenneth Branaugh is to Shakespeare. For those who HAVEN'T read Jane Austen's wonderful book, this is one of those rare cases in which you can watch the movie first & not feel dissatisfied with the book later. Go ahead & indulge! If you like a period movie, this is a lovely choice -- the depiction of late 18th century British society is both enchanting & funny. If you've seen Hugh Grant in any of his later charming, self-effacing roles & liked him, then you must catch him in this movie -- it's the model for many of his later roles. The costumes, the setting, the dialogue, the acting & the "lesson" are all wonderful here. It's not action-adventure -- it's an Ang Lee film rather than a Bruce Lee movie. Don't expect to like it if you prefer chase scenes & excitement. However, for a heartfelt portrayal of romance, family, and (to boil it down) the quest for "Mr. Right," all set in Georgian England, then try "Sense & Sensibility." It's well-worth owning so you can watch it again & again!

Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: I was quite disappointed by this film, especially after Pride and Prejudice, Emma, and Persuasion had served up such great Austen adaptations. The whole film feels insipid and feel good, much like the performance of the pertetually stuttering buffoon that is Hugh Grant. The screenplay lacked clout, the direction was workmanlike at best, and the costumes and wigs seemed specially made to make everyone look as unattractive as possible.
Even the performances were not all that impressive with the notable exceptions of Kate Winslet and Alan Rickman, who were both excellent. Imogen Stubbs, Imelda Staunton, and James Fleet were quite enjoyable too. But as for the rest: Emma Thompson was about 20 years too old to play Eleanor, and she came off as tired, wan, and unengaging. Hugh Grant is always far better when he's playing nasty, or at least smarmy characters, (An Awfully Big Adventure, Bridget Jone's Diary) while Gemma Jones was a bit of an anti-character as Mrs. Dashwood, and Hugh Laurie simply looked a bit lost (Staunton and Stubbs were stealing his scenes).
Frustratingly bad, and it shouldn't be.

Rating:
Summary: Sense and sensibility
Review: While the cast was stellar, the editing and screen play was not. I much preferred the BBC version on VHS (c.1987, distributed by CBS/Fox Video). This version with Irene Richard and Tracey Childs, was closer in content to the book than the more recent, Emma Thompson version. The BBC version did omit the third sister, Margaret, however the rest of the film and it's characters were intact and mirrored the book. Some of the scenes which I thought crucial to the story were omitted in the Emma Thompson version. Willoughby's midnight ride to make amends with Marianne was left out of the newer version and others as well. Thompson gets 3 stars, BBC still reigns supreme in my book, and Jane Austen's.

Rating:
Summary: Nearly No.1 on my Romantic Top Ten
Review: I had an itch last night to rent this movie and watch it for the third time. Now on DVD I can see the deleted scenes and audio commnetary which makes the film more rich and wonderful. I only say this is "nearly" number one because possibly my most favorite romantic movie is "Truly, Madly, Deeply" featuring another fine performance by Alan Rickman. Whom I adore in this film as Col. Brandon...completely out performing fellow Brit and often-cast romantic good-guy, Hugh Grant. Rickman was dashing yet restrained as the colonel and instantly makes you fall in love. The scenery is lovely and pastoral. My only complaint are the hideous Napolean Empire style gowns. Although, those never look good on women (I think). Otherwise, everything else is flawless. A beautiful screenplay from Thompson, excellent performances and charming characters. I recommend this to any romantic at heart!

Rating:
Summary: A Pleasant Surprise!!
Review: I originally saw this movie at the "cheapie" dollar theatre. I hadn't bothered to see it when it was first released because I was convinced that period pieces weren't for me. How pleasantly surprised I was to find that not only did I love this movie, but so did my husband!! I've since watched it uncountable times on VHS, and now on DVD. I will say right up front to not buy this DVD for extras of any substance. The commentary is ok and the deleted scenes only make you want to see more of them. But I can say with every confidence, buy this movie just for the joy you will get from it. The acting is impeccable, and I will argue until my dying day that Kate Winslet soooooooo deserved the Oscar for her role as Marianne (if anyone recalls, Mira Sorvino won it for "Mighty Aphrodite"--saw it, and I still don't understand why she was even nominated, let alone why she won!). It's obvious that Emma Thompson, who also stars as elder sister Eleanor, wrote this screenplay with much loving attention and care. There is genuine chemistry between characters, and when they feel joy or anguish, well, so do you. A special message for those of you who don't like period pieces: watch this one. It just might surprise you!!

Rating:
Summary: Watch it with your sister! Warning: Spoilers
Review: There are two movies I watch with my little sis when I feel in that "girl bonding" mood. One is "Little Women" and this beautiful film is the other. It centers around two sisters, who are very different, but a complement to each other. Marianne, played by the beautiful Kate Winslet, and Eleanor played by the impeccably talented Emma Thompson (who also wrote the screenplay). What is so refreshing about Jane Austen's writing is how her novels seem contemporary even though they are not. Her characters speak and behave in ways that anyone today might speak or behave. The relationships in this film between Eleanor and Edward, and Marianne and Willoughby are very familiar to us because they are typical of a modern day relationship. Who hasn't been in a situation like Eleanor? You desperately want to be with someone, but you're too afraid to tell them, or there's someone else in the way? Or maybe you've been in a relationship like Marianne's, where you're dumped for no apparent reason except money? This film conveys the love, joy, and pain of these two sisters in a way that is sometimes witty, sometimes sweet, and sometimes heartbreaking. Break out the Kleenax! =)