Review: Great Expectations

CAUTION: Yen's blog contains harsh language and even harsher notions of propriety. Reader discretion is advised.



Great Expectations
128 mins / Dir. Mike Newell

Right. Short and sweet...



I'm not entirely sure what to make of this one. I'm pretty sure I enjoyed it, but I have no frame of reference in which to make comparisons, and the only reason I kept on top of the oft-sprawling/weaving plot is because of a pre-game primer from Mrs Blackout. Everyone in front of the camera seems to be doing a great job, with the only possible drawback being that pretty much all of the characters are likeable*¹ - including the ones who are meant to be the exact opposite. It's no biggie to me, but it may have the purists frowning.

After having my fingers burned with Jane Eyre, I'm glad that a film like this restores the balance somewhat. Although while I'll be interested to see other adaptations of Great Expectations, I'm not entirely sure I've been switched on to Dickens.

And from someone with far more experience in this field that I, Mrs Blackout said largely the same thing: good, but not definitive.



Oh, and full marks to Ralph Fiennes for channeling The Hitcher for his portrayal of Magwitch. I appreciated that, even if it seemed lost on most of the cinema audience.

*¹ Even David Walliams, in full pantomime mode no less, fits in without me wanting to throw obscenities at the screen. This is a new world record.

DISCLAIMERS:
• ^^^ That's dry, British humour, and most likely sarcasm or facetiousness.

• This is a personal blog. The views and opinions expressed here represent my own thoughts (at the time of writing) and not those of the people, institutions or organisations that I may or may not be related with unless stated explicitly.