Review: Great Expectations

Review: Great Expectations

Classic adaptations are hard riffs to pull off in this modern cinematic age of Transformers, Avengers and Channing Tatums, however director Mike Newell has certainly given his best shot at a new adaptation of Charles Dickens' arguably most famous novel Great Expectations.

An unfortunate case of been-there, done-that lingers amongst the old fashioned atmosphere, but strong, thoughtful performances and an absorbing sense of drama and intrigue save Great Expectations from complete boredom. For those who have already read the novel or witnessed a previous interpretation of the story, this version will fail to impress. That said, others who are new to the narrative will feel very satisfied with the big screen vision even if they'll no doubt experience a vast amount of confusion due to some unnecessarily speedy storytelling. 

That storytelling involves Pip, a young orphan who falls in love with Estella, a rich girl under the care of Miss Havisham, an ageing woman who has refused to take off her wedding dress since her fiancée left her. Years later, Pip has become a successful blacksmith with his brother-in-law, however he knows Miss Havisham will not allow him to be with Estella unless he becomes a "true gentleman". When a lawyer, Mr Jaggers, approaches him and tells him a "wealthy benefactor" has left him a large sum of money to allow him to do this, Pip sets off for London immediately in the hopes of breaking through Estella's ice cold heart and proving he can be enough of a gentleman to be hers. Meanwhile, the identity of the benefactor remains unknown; a secret which haunts Pip with potentially devastating consequences.

While the story is one of Dickens' most adored literary works, it often feels clunky to watch on screen in this particular retelling. At times it often feels as though Newell has "David Yates syndrome", in that he has taken a novel and has simply ensured the major scenes are shoved in. This leads to an incoherent narrative, which is incredibly frustrating for both fans of the novel and those who wish to understand every detail of the film; one could even assume that Newell is under the assumption that anyone watching the movie has already read the book, such is the lack of organisation in his storytelling. 

Flashbacks are under-used, as instead names are thrown around hastily by Ralph Fiennes' Magwitch and Robbie Coltrane's Jaggers in mid-conversation to deliver incredibly important plot points. It's hard work keeping up with Great Expectations in the clearest of adaptations, but Newell has made it damn near impossible in his vision. Anyone who can work out Magwitch's complex backstory from the hurried, incoherent mumblings and half-arsed dialogue deserves a medal.

There's also a need for the film to justify itself. There have been so many adaptations before now - why do we need a new one? Newell fails to bring anything new to the table.

Yet, where he fails, the cast succeed. Despite the inconsistent quality of the storytelling, the performances are incredibly strong. Ralph Fiennes and Helena Bonham Carter are excellent as always, giving a sense of sympathy to characters who are perhaps undeserving of such forgiveness. Yet the stars, Jeremy Irvine as Pip and Holliday Grainger as Estella, refuse to be outshone and do brilliant justice to unforgettable fictional characters. They turn what could have been an overly classy, dull affair into a much more humane, fine experience of love and manipulation. Jason Flemyng, David Walliams and Robbie Coltrane are also superb additions to the cast, adding a mixture of comedy, empathy and mystery to the performances. 

As well as this, Great Expectations succeeds in becoming a true character drama. We are very engrossed in Pip's tale, from his first encounter with the initially terrifying Magwitch to the gripping finale on board an ill-fated boat. We genuinely care about the characters and are shocked by every twist and turn. The movie is absorbingly authentic, and in a cinema we can ask no more than that.

Summary

Put simply, lovers of the classic Dickens novel will be incredibly disappointed by Mike Newell's adaptation for 2012 due to a lack of focus. Those new to the story, however, will no doubt enjoy the tale for the first time even if they may struggle to keep up with the messy plot. Fantastic performances from the major cast make the film shine with plenty of distinguished personality and charm, and Jeremy Irvine should certainly experience a major breakthrough after this very fine display of talent. Absorbing, intriguing and affecting, Great Expectations is a decent drama full of brilliant characters and, despite its lack of a coherent narrative, it succeeds in pulling us in to its irresistible tale of love, manipulation and mystery. Just lower your expectations first. 

7/10 - Very Good

See it if you liked: One Day (2011), Pride and Prejudice (2005), Dorian Gray (2009)