Au coeur de l'amour

Elinor Dashwood (Ashley Williams) and her more flighty sister, Marianne (Marla Sokoloff) get the most terrible news. Their father has been accused of running a ponzi-type investment company and is hauled off to jail. Used to many luxuries as "rich gals", this is harsh. Mother goes to live with an aunt, taking cancer stricken younger sister Margaret along. Her medicine alone is costly. Thus, our two Miss Dashwoods have to get jobs. Unluckily, their last name is a detriment to employment. Finally, Eleanor gets a lowly position as a spa girl-of-all-tasks while Marianne lies about her last name is snags as a job as the copy woman for a large firm. Still, paying bills is difficult. Making things worse is their vehicle, a rundown truck, which often leaves them in a bind. Also, Marianne's boyfriend of many years is away in Switzerland, making her lonely. But, silver linings arrive. Elinor meets a handsome lawyer, brother to the grumpy spa owner, while Marianne starts to become friends with a bright young executive colleague. Most importantly, an herbal cream that Marianne has invented becomes a hit at the spa, with women buying bottles left and right. Caution, ladies! Someone is still out to make major trouble for you both! This lovely update of Austen's classic is nicely done. Then, again, I could watch an infinite number of variations of such a great book! Williams and Sokoloff are fine as the indomitable Dashwood gals while the men in their lives are handsome and talented actors. In fact, all of the cast does good work. Then, too, costumes are terrific, as are sets, script and zesty direction. By all means, romcom and Austen fans. It just makes sense to seek this one out!

The start of the movie is a little lousy and drastic however as you move further into the characters, the movie starts to gain momentum and catch your heart.

Especially after the entry of the two male characters, the movie picks a nice touch romance and misunderstanding..nothing too innovative but well handled.

The acting of all the main characters is very good. Although Nick Zano does not have a lot of role to play in the movie, he does make an impression with his acting, especially in the scenes in the copy room, showing confidence of a successful professional and awkwardness of someone who just started dating.

The climax of the movie could have been a little elaborate, although it does its job. I would highly recommend watching the movie at leisure.

Anything resembling Jane Austen was purely coincidental. This is really a goody-two-shoes Hallmark knock off. The characters were not completely or even partially developed. The costumes were a joke. The music was annoying.

The acting is at an atrocious high school play level.

This film is an extremely drab and slow moving version and only a hint of the real story peeks through.

Even if you don't know the original story, this over simplistic script

blatantly telegraphs the outcome.

I gave it 2 stars because the only interesting aspect is the beautiful Utah outdoor scenery,

otherwise this is a waste of 89 minutes of your life.

A nice, clean movie. It's very loosely based on Jane Austin's novel. But, since it takes place in 21st century America, changes had to be made. After all, out society doesn't have such misogynist inheritance laws. And sexism no longer works for why these sisters can't get high-paying jobs. So, in this version, they lose their father to prison instead of death. Their wealth goes to expensive appeals and reimbursing victims, instead of a half-brother. And the name Dashwood has been blackballed from every notable business. So, Elinor enters a bit of a Cinderella story, as a janitor working for a boss who looks down in her. And Marianne has some growing up to do, learning to live without luxury and to get a job.

It's not a perfect movie. It has a few cheesy moments. I think the sisters' problem might have been solved if they just legally changed their surnames. Elinor believes the word of a thief, and Marianne foolishly gives a cad a chance to interfere with her romance. But it's still an enjoyable movie, worth watching at least once. I've actually watched it three times now.

Based on the novel by Jane Austin, "Sense and Sensibility" the movie does not actually capture the characters and does not even attempt to address the philosophical question, sense vs sensibility that makes the book what it is.

All the characters are there but the acting is insipid, the dialogue stilted and the directing amateur. Whoever did the costume should find another job because the dress of women who "grew up going to golf tournaments and garden parties" looks like it came from Walmart.

Watching awkward scenes with people who don't seem to have any feeling about what they are saying is embarrassing to say the least and I only left it on while I was busy in the kitchen or I would have had to switch it off. My husband already switched it off 5 minutes in after watching a character have a secretive conversation about her boyfriend while sitting a hand span away from him.

Don't waste your time.