This is one of Dickens most beloved novels, but it always seems to flail about in the unmoving to just straight up disappointing area when adapted to the screen, and this lavish, expensive, new telling of it seems to sadly fall into the same category.
The story is supposed to be about the life and struggles of Phillip Pirrip (or Pip) as he wrestles with who he is, who he was born to be and who he desperately wants to be. And perhaps it is this overly dramatic and meticulous plot of the novel that ultimately dooms any and all film versions of it. This movie does try to show you his character struggles, but it bounces between that plot line and the should-be romance between the determined Pip and the lost Estella. You see the two interact briefly between the other storyline and you get the feeling that the writers wanted their romance to be the main attraction of the film but were overruled.
The acting is as inconsistent as the story it is trying to tell. Jeremey Irvine (Pip) falters and leaves you underwhelmed with his portrayal of the somewhat selfish character. He spectacularly looks the part but, try as he might, just cannot compete with the far more superior actors he was cast alongside of. Where his costars go for subtlety he goes for blatant and the clashing portrayals leave you worn out and tired. Holliday Grainger was perhaps the only person in Hollywood who could have given just the right amount of emotion to the cold and calculating character that is Estella. Her personification of a character so loathed and adored as she was radiant. With her at the reigns of the character you could understand why Pip would forgo friendship and nature for wealth. Their chemistry was spotty at best; sometimes you believed their desire for one another, but other times it felt forced and it didn't seem like they wanted each other at all. Boham Carter was a good Havisham but her flair for the dramatic made it nearly impossible for you to sympathize with the cruel and frantic woman.
Even to those of you who know nothing about the book plot line and are just into viewing period piece films, this movie will still lag. The pacing was tedious at best and the character development of Pip took way too long without really divulging anything of remote interest. The movie, on top of a crippled script and wayward overwrought acting looked as if it was bootlegged. The director is a fan of grainy, dirty looking cameras apparently. The whole time I was viewing it I thought that I had purchased an illegal copy from some homeless gentleman. This movie disheartened me greatly, and I can only say that it will disappoint you too. 5.5/10
The story is supposed to be about the life and struggles of Phillip Pirrip (or Pip) as he wrestles with who he is, who he was born to be and who he desperately wants to be. And perhaps it is this overly dramatic and meticulous plot of the novel that ultimately dooms any and all film versions of it. This movie does try to show you his character struggles, but it bounces between that plot line and the should-be romance between the determined Pip and the lost Estella. You see the two interact briefly between the other storyline and you get the feeling that the writers wanted their romance to be the main attraction of the film but were overruled.
The acting is as inconsistent as the story it is trying to tell. Jeremey Irvine (Pip) falters and leaves you underwhelmed with his portrayal of the somewhat selfish character. He spectacularly looks the part but, try as he might, just cannot compete with the far more superior actors he was cast alongside of. Where his costars go for subtlety he goes for blatant and the clashing portrayals leave you worn out and tired. Holliday Grainger was perhaps the only person in Hollywood who could have given just the right amount of emotion to the cold and calculating character that is Estella. Her personification of a character so loathed and adored as she was radiant. With her at the reigns of the character you could understand why Pip would forgo friendship and nature for wealth. Their chemistry was spotty at best; sometimes you believed their desire for one another, but other times it felt forced and it didn't seem like they wanted each other at all. Boham Carter was a good Havisham but her flair for the dramatic made it nearly impossible for you to sympathize with the cruel and frantic woman.
Even to those of you who know nothing about the book plot line and are just into viewing period piece films, this movie will still lag. The pacing was tedious at best and the character development of Pip took way too long without really divulging anything of remote interest. The movie, on top of a crippled script and wayward overwrought acting looked as if it was bootlegged. The director is a fan of grainy, dirty looking cameras apparently. The whole time I was viewing it I thought that I had purchased an illegal copy from some homeless gentleman. This movie disheartened me greatly, and I can only say that it will disappoint you too. 5.5/10