Running time: 130 minutes
Starring: Ben Kingsley, Jamie Foreman, Barney Clark, Harry Eden
Rating 10 out of 10
Roman Polanski may not be the most likely name to direct a family friendly version of Dickens' novel given that he is more used to examining the darker side of the human psyche. His sparkling new version of the tale not only gives it a brand new lease of life but strongly suggests that the director - an Oscar-winner with his last film The Pianist - is undergoing a major renaissance. This is joyful stuff, which at times feels like a masterpiece, and come awards time, Polanski and his colleagues could once again be major contenders. Polanski, along with screenwriter Ronald Harwood and an impressive crew, neatly cast aside any worries about comparisons with either David Lean's 1948 version of the celebrated musical of 1968, by making a film that more than stands on its own two feet. Pawel Edelman's mesmerizing cinematography and Jindrich Koci's astonishing art direction create a stunning portrait of Victorian England, with lush landscapes and accomplished city settings giving the film a beautiful tone that recalls Kubrick's Barry Lyndon.
The cast itself breathe ample life into a tale that it all too familiar of the poor orphan struggling on his own before becoming a puppet of the likes of Fagin and Bill Sikes. Newcomer Barney Clark is a perfect Oliver, able to evoke sympathy but also able to be a strong lad, and he is surrounded by extraordinary young talent in the shape of Fagin's rascally gang (notably Harry Eden's Artful Dodger). Jamie Foreman, a familiar face to British audiences if not quite a household name, makes us forget Oliver Reed in an instant - his threatening and dangerous Bill is a career best performance.
Yet even in a career filled with best performances Ben Kingsley manages to outdo himself, with a turn that is simply one of the year's best. His Fagin is alternately pitiful, hilarious, full of energy and a masterclass in acting. It's impossible to take your eyes off him when he is on the big screen and even in the scenes where he has little to say he delivers a hugely memorable performance.
The plaudits for the acting go right through the cast - one of Polanski's best traits has always been his ability to cast brilliant faces - and all of this is underlined by Ronald Harwood's script which, notably through its use of the language of the time, is both realistic and absorbing. Some of the scenes involving the gang are thrilling enough to make the audience feel part of a secret club, and this is largely due to yet another successful collaboration between Harwood and Polanski.
Polanski stated at the beginning of production that he wanted to make a film that his children would enjoy: he has achieved more than that, and possibly to the amazement of just about anyone with an interest in film, has delivered a third great version to rank alongside the previous two which are now seen as classics. There's no reason why this one shouldn't join them.
Paul Hurley
