Great Expectations

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source: Great Expectations

Thematically speaking, Mike Newell's GREAT EXPECTATIONS depicts a world in which money talks: where rich n'er-do-wells such as Bentley Drummle (Ben Lloyd-Hughes) manage to find the girls of their choice, while fundamentally good people such as Pip (Toby/ Jeremy Irvine) end up unlucky. To survive in this world, Pip has to shed his humanity; this is especially evident in his offhand treatment of Joe Gargery (Jason Flemyng), when the blacksmith comes to visit him in London. Likewise Estella (Helena Barlow/ Holliday Granger) is brought up in a world where any display of emotion or human feeling is considered weak; hence she believes it is her destiny to marry Bentley, even though the couple are not in love with one another. The quintessential representative of this rapacious world is Jaggers (Robbie Coltrane), who believes that everything - including human beings - are to be bought and sold for money. Hence Joe Gargery should be happy to accept twenty-five guineas in exchange for Pip. Unless you've got money, you'll not have any Great Expectations. Newell's film is also very good at depicting the relationships between Pip, Estella and Miss Havisham (Helena Bonham Carter) - although somewhat young for the role, Bonham Carter comes across as a fundamentally vindictive person, who enjoys playing with Estella and Pip's feelings in revenge for her own frustrations at being jilted on her wedding-day several years previously. As with most BBC- inspired costume dramas, the sense of place is beautifully evoked, even though Jim Clay's production designs; nineteenth-century London is a teeming, threatening world in which self-interest prevails. This is contrasted with the rural Kent coast where Joe and his sister (Sally Hawkins), a lonely world of sprawling landscapes and russet sunsets. Perhaps the only criticism that might be leveled at this adaptation is the fact that David Nicholls' screenplay runs out of steam somewhat: the plot-details are rather hurriedly wrapped up in the last half-hour at the expense of characterization and atmosphere. This is a shame, as it deflects out attention from the developing relationship between Pip and Abel Magwitch (Ralph Fiennes), which proves beyond doubt that compassion is far more significant than money to ensure human survival.

Where do i begin, what a cast the acting was quite simply fantastic. The very sexy Ralph Fiennes covered in dirt i was in my element, this is the best version of this classic and i have seen them all. Helena Bonham Carter is such a great actor she has the ability to make it look so easy. I didn't think she would be able to be as good as the excellent job that Gillian Anderson had previously done in the BBC adaptation, but she definitely put her mark on this character an unbelievable performance As for the younger members of the cast Holiday Granger is as i suspected a very diverse young woman and i personally think she has a great career ahead of her. Go and see this or rent it out you will not be disappointed. the whole feel of the movie

Sometimes you sit through a film you have seen before and enjoy it, even though you know the plot. This time I sat through a film I hadn't seen before and I didn't get that much out of it. It may be partly because the BBC had done an excellent adaption only one year ago. The serpentine plotting of Dickens was also better suited to the longer format of three episodes rather than a two-hour film. There are limits to how much plot you can cram in and the film probably exceeded them. In both versions the acting was good, but I query the casting in the new film. I would say I preferred Ray Winstone as a true Cockney Magwitch and David Suchet as a creepier Jaggers. Estella is also supposed to be someone who captivates Pip. Even though Holliday Grainger acted well, I couldn't see her as a woman who could drive someone to distraction with her stunning beauty. The sets were obviously intended to outdo any previous versions. Satis House was straight out of Gormenghast while London looked more mediaeval than it probably was in 1860. If it hadn't been done so soon before, it would probably be rated as a better film.

It's time a big screen faithful color version of Great Expectations was made as an update to the Black & White David Lean classic and supersede the mediocre television adaptations. Forget about the Gwyneth Paltrow nonsense. Comparisons with the previous versions are inevitable. David Lean's version is the most magical with the wide eyed John Mills and the beautiful Jean Simmons and remains the best. The worst was the 2011 BBC version with youthful Gillian Anderson as Ms Havisham and an Estella that wasn't pretty and a Pip that was too pretty. In this version, Ralph Fiennes was intense and watchable if not the most convict like. Pip was well cast. Jeremy Irvine is earnest and pleasant looking while not being too handsome which would have been wrong. Jason Fleyming was bit too dignified and not blue collar enough for blacksmith Joe Gargery. They went very wrong with the women. Helena Bonham was too perky and silly looking. She acted as she does in Tim Burton's movies snapping her dialog out in her clipped way. She made a joke of the role. Some one older like Helen Mirren or Cate Blanchett would have been better. Estella wasn't well cast. The younger Estella was a bit common looking and her ginger hair was jarring. Holiday Grainger was too round faced. While she is pretty from some angles, she wasn't haughty enough. Her looks are more Renaissance - hence the Borgias, than 19th Century. As far as direction, there is a more intense in your face feel which was a bit too crowded sometimes. Some of the action is too much in shadows and crucial dialog rushed. The screenplay is good - faithful and fairly complete. Cinematography is good in the rural areas but scenes of London were too ugly. Overall it's worth a watch despite the miscasting.

Before the review starts I must say that it might be a little biased. Coming from another country, before I saw the movie I had never heard of the book (maybe the title once or twice in a different translation) or any of the movie adaptations. For everyone else I suspect it wasn't as interesting as it was to me. The movie is about a boy, Pip, who gets in the possession of some money and coming from a poor background, goes on to become a gentleman in London. The movie is filled with a very well-known cast, e.g. Helena Bonham Carter and Jeremy Irvine, and directed by Mike Newell (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire). As seen from previous movies, everyone delivers a remarkable performance, especially Carter with the wounded character of Miss Havisham (there's a good twist around the end involving her). Another great stand out was Holliday Grainger in the role of Estella. I loved her, and will be definitely looking at what projects she chooses in the future. It was a nice surprise when she appeared in Anna Karenina (2012), and although just for a couple of seconds, she played her part there very well too. The story, although I've never heard of it, is a classic. It's handled very well, and the love story too. Two people that were never meant to be together. Even though Estella is trying to push Pip away, Pip always comes back. There is definitely chemistry between the two. The sets and costumes were another high point of the movie. The women's wear in particular worked very well for the time period in which the story is set. The depiction of 1980s London was very graphic and very well done. Nothing seemed CGI, and all the sets looked very realistic. Every movie has a flaw, and nearly every time it's the pace. The movie did slow down around the middle, after Pip arrives in London and settles down. Not much happened. I recommend this to most movie fans looking for a good drama. Fans of the story will probably dig the new adaptation too. Enjoy. Acting - 10/10 Costumes - 10/10 Pace - 8/10 Sets - 10/10 Overall - 9/10

Great expectations were what we had before watching the film because of the amazing trailer. It makes it look intriguing, full of movement and passion. However, we couldn't have been more wrong. Two hours of my life wasted on a film with a great cast, and actors I love to see perform, but so slowly paced and boring, I seriously had to make the effort to stay awake. It is not the actors, nor the special effects or the film in itself. It's just like reading the book. It's the script. Big films like Romeo + Juliet keep the original scrip or try to change it as little as possible with brilliant results. But in this case they haven't managed to do a good job. It's tedious, even too cloying for a true lover of romance. Definitely a film I wouldn't recommend anybody to watch at the theater. It's more like the one you should rent if you can't sleep. It surely will help.

Never a dull moment in Mike Newell's Great Expectations, a classic tale of rags to riches set in Victorian London. Dramatic adaptation of this classic English novel. Our Victorian Romeo and Juliet are Pip (Jeremy Irvine) and Estella (Holly Grainger). The film centres around their melodramatic relationship with each other and their parents, Stella's Miss Haversham (Helena Bonham Carter)and Pip's Magwitch (Ralph Fiennes). Great characters, great cast, great script with Estella's 'You must know I have no heart, I was made that way' and 'I was brought up to reek revenge on all men' in contrast to Pip's 'Everything I have ever done I have done for you' and 'I have loved you since I first saw you in this house.' Best performance, Miss Haversham's pensioner in a bridesmaid's dress.

This production of the film is accurate to the book and follows the story the way it was written. The acting is average but the story line is the best I've seen. Magwitch is played brilliantly and gives the audience a feel of pity for him. I would recommend this to anyone that loves films such as Pride and Prejudice, Anna Karina and Jane Eyre. The dresses are stunning. If you are debating getting it, just go for it. The actor of Pip is alright but have seen better actors before. The boat chase to the ship is brilliant and really puts you on edge. In the film, the part played by Jo is fantastic and is acted the way in the book. If you are a Charles Dickens Lover, then this should suit you as it is much like the original book. I saw the mini TV series at Christmas last year and felt that this film is a 100x better. JUST GO GET IT!