Oliver Twist

Rating:
Summary: Great
Review: I've seen several different versions of the classic Charles Dickens story of the orphan boy but I just finished watching this six hour mini series adaptation that in my opinion was the best yet.

Rating:
Summary: Nothing short of Superb
Review: If you love Masterpiece Theatre, Charles Dickens, terrific writing and superb acting...then your life is not complete without this DVD.

I first saw this adaptation of my favourite Dickens novel when I was about 13 when it was first released. Since then I've watched it over 30 times and memorized almost every single eloquently written line. I fell in love with the plot and the characters, however villanous or cheeky they may be. Just to name a few - Andy Serkis as Bill Sikes is the perfect frightening bad guy. Robert Lindsay must be the greatest Fagin ever portrayed on the film; he is a rich, infamous, and slightly comical delight - a wonderful perfomance. Marc Warren as the pathetic half-brother to Oliver, Monks aka Edward Leeford, acts his heart out, and one cannot help but love the character that we are supposed to hate. Sam Smith who plays Oliver is marvelously innocent in his debut role. That's just a few of the roles that stick out, but there are others who must be mentioned. Julie Walters and David Ross are hilarious characters; Emily Wolf is a wonderful and beautiful Nancy; the now very recognizable Keira Knightley is a charming Rose Fleming; and Lindsay Duncan portrays the dispicable mother to Edward Leeford with perfection.

If you are looking for a word-for-word adaptation of Dicken's Oliver Twist, this is not it. This takes many liberties with the story, and goes far beyond it, spending 1/3 of the story on life before Oliver. It devolops every character, travels through every bit of Olivers life, and tells stories about his family, with a short but sweet epilogue. It is incredibly believable and will impact you in some way I can garuntee. It is one of those stories and films that will influence you, whether it is to be a writer or an actor. I highly, highly recommend it.