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Poster for Sense and Sensibility

Sense and Sensibility

Seen it?

1995 | 136 min | Drama, Romance

Friday Night Flick

Why it’s a Friday Night Flick

Critics loved it (97% on Rotten Tomatoes), it won an Oscar, people are still talking about it and audiences rate it highly (7.4 out of 10). Make plans for this one.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it
Made for romantics. If you loved Howards End or Tess, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
The mood
Warm and romantic.
The pace
Takes its time with its characters, at 2 hr 16 min.
What might put you off
  • Rated PG. Worth a look first if you have very young kids.
  • Audiences were cooler on it than critics.

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.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsVery strong

    97% on Rotten Tomatoes, 84 on Metacritic

  • AudiencesStrong

    7.4 out of 10

  • AwardsVery strong

    Won 1 Oscar: Academy Awards: Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay). Won 2 Golden Globes: Golden Globe Awards: Best Motion Picture – Drama, Golden Globe Awards: Best Screenplay. Won 1 SAG Award: Screen Actors Guild Awards: Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role. Won 3 BAFTAs: British Academy Film Awards: Best Film, British Academy Film Awards: Best Actress in a Leading Role, British Academy Film Awards: Best Actress in a Supporting Role. Won 3 Critics' Choice Awards: Critics' Choice Movie Awards: Best Film, Critics' Choice Movie Awards: Best Screenplay, Critics' Choice Movie Awards: Best Foreign Film. Won 1 Berlin award: Berlin International Film Festival: Best Original Dramatic Score. Won 1 WGA Award: Writers Guild of America Awards: Best Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published. Also nominated for 6 more Oscars, 4 more Golden Globes and 2 more SAG Awards. Plus 7 other awards.

  • Box office & staying powerStrong

    $135 million worldwide on a $16 million budget

  • Buzz & cultural impactVery strong

    About 588K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Directed by Ang Lee

  • Emma ThompsonElinor Dashwood
  • Kate WinsletMarianne Dashwood
  • Alan RickmanColonel Christopher Brandon
  • Hugh GrantEdward Ferrars
  • Gemma JonesMrs. Dashwood
  • Greg WiseJohn Willoughby
  • Elizabeth SpriggsMrs. Jennings
  • Imogen StubbsLucy Steele
  • Harriet WalterFanny Ferrars Dashwood
  • James FleetJohn Dashwood