Review of Oliver Twist (2005) by Max M — 07 Feb 2010

Being opposed to any Oliver! musicals, I found Roman Polanski's gritty re-telling of the beloved Dickens tale very enjoyable. Oliver Twist offers a realistic vision of Victorian-era England, engagaing story-telling and a fantastic cast. Polanski's skillful direction transforms the well-known story into a dark and absorbing tale that faithfully reflects Dicken's novel. Ben Kingsley is well-suited and gives an enjoyable performance as Fagin, Jamie Foreman gives a fearful portrayal as the books' baddie Bill Sikes, Barney Clark is tremendous as the pitiable title character that gives warmth and hope to the dark tale.

If you're a die-hard fan of the musical then you probably won't enjoy but if you're a film lover who can appreciate a legendary film-maker's audacious re-telling then sit back and enjoy.