Review of Sense and Sensibility (1995) by David A — 18 Apr 2010

(from The Watermark 01/20/96).

Utter perfection. Thompson and Winslet are two English sisters in the early 1800's. Winslet is the free-spirited romantic with her head in the clouds, while Thompson is the restrained, more proper one with her feet firmly on the ground. The plot is a simple romance: each of the two find suitable suitors, but both of them have problems in snagging the man they desire - mostly because they are not rich in their wealth-oriented society. The sisters' contrasting ways of dealing with love and love lost proves to be a great character study. When we eventually see them understand the other's point of view, the balance they achieve is wonderful. Director Ang Lee (The Wedding Banquet) has made England more scenic and colorful than any other contemporary film has portrayed it - here is a romantic director who fully comprehends visualizing the Romantic Era. The casting is perfect; Winslet is captivating. But the film belongs to Thompson, who also wrote the screenplay. Her writing finds enormous amounts of humor in Jane Austen's novel, and has created an entourage of fully developed characters, who all undergo some sort of change as a result of the events in the film. This is - hands down - the most satisfying and totally unflawed film I've seen all year. QUEER QUOTIENT: Winslet's true love is played by the dashing young Greg Wise. I defy any gay man not to swoon when he is on screen.