![]() ![]() With its classic story of polar opposite sisters - the reserved, responsible Elinor (Thompson) and the expressive, emotional Marianne ( Kate Winslet) - "Sense and Sensibility" basically delivers two rom-com storylines in one. ![]() And the early 19th century novelist gets one of her best-ever adaptations in this winning romance from director Ang Lee and writer/star Emma Thompson. Sense and Sensibility (1995): Other than William Shakespeare, there’s no one more influential on the modern day romantic comedy genre than Jane Austen. And "A New Era" has a long memory that will be particularly rewarding for long-time fans - whether that’s in scenes of Tom discussing his late wife Sybil or Violet and Isobel ( Penelope Wilton) hashing out their winding path from sparring partners to genuine friends. The power of any long-running franchise comes from how much time its viewers have spent living with its characters. Though Robert James-Collier’s scheming-footman-turned-loyal-butler Thomas Barrow nearly stole the first film with a moving storyline about queer discovery, he gets an overly rushed arc this time around, which is disappointing.īut while the first film largely petered out in its climax, "A New Era" gets better as it goes along, as its lighthearted throughlines give way to a surprisingly poignant celebration of the show’s legacy. There are flaws here too, to be sure, even by "Downton" standards. See "Downton Abbey: A New Era" for: My, my, just how much we've missed you And though much of "A New Era" is as fizzy as a summer cocktail, Violet’s declining health provides a ticking time clock that gives the frothy story some emotional heft as well. Molesley ( Kevin Doyle) to the simmering ennui of Lady Mary ( Michelle Dockery). Instead, just about all of the original players get something to do here, from the sweet will-they-won’t-they romance between Miss Baxter ( Raquel Cassidy) and Mr. Plus they introduce a few new characters into the fold, including a wealthy French mother/son duo ( Nathalie Baye and Jonathan Zaccaï) and some Hollywood visitors deliciously played by Hugh Dancy, Dominic West and Laura Haddock.īut thankfully "A New Era" doesn’t let those new faces overwhelm the original cast, which was one of the problems with the first film. Both storylines offer an excuse for "A New Era" to highlight some of the glitz and glam of late 1920s life - as talkies take over the film industry and summering in France becomes trendy. ![]()
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