Oliver Twist (2005) Movie Information:

Oliver Twist (2005) Directed by: Roman Polanski Oliver Twist (2005) Written by: Ronald Harwood Oliver Twist (2005) Cast: Ben Kingsley, Barney Clark, Lewis Chase, Frances Cuka, Jake Curran, Harry Eden, Frank Finlay, Jamie Foreman, Chris Overton, Leanne Rowe, Mark Strong, Jeremy Swift, Joseph Tremain

Oliver Twist (2005) U.S. Distributor: Sony Pictures Oliver Twist (2005) U.K. Distributor: Pathé

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Oliver Twist (2005) Synopsis:

Following their Academy-Award winning film, "The Pianist," director Roman Polanski and writer Ronal Harwood re-imagine Charles Dickens' classic story of a young orphan boy who gets involved with a gang of pickpockets in 19th Century London. Abandoned at an early age, Oliver Twist (Barney Clark) is forced to live in a workhouse lorded over by the awful Mr. Bumble, who cheats the boys of their meager rations. Desperate yet determined, Oliver makes his escape to the streets of London. Penniless and alone, he is lured into a world of crime by the sinister Fagin (Sir Ben Kingsley) - the mastermind of a gang of pint-sized pickpockets. Oliver's rescue by the kindly Mr. Brownlow is only the beginning of a series of adventures that lead him to the promise of a better life.

Oliver Twist (2005) Movie Review:

It's been 25 years since Polanski's gorgeous film of Thomas Hardy's Tess. And now he turns his skills to Dickens with this definitive adaptation, which can stand proudly with two endearing favourites--David Lean's relentlessly grim 1948 version and the strangely cheery 1968 musical.

Oliver (Clark) is a 10-year-old orphan in a brutal Victorian workhouse, about to embark on a life-changing odyssey. Sold to an undertaker (Heath), he escapes and runs to London, where he's adopted by Fagin (Kingsley) and his team of street urchins. While learning the pickpocket trade from Fagin's sidekick, the Artful Dodger (Eden), a mix-up lands him in the home of a rich man (Hardwicke). Worried about being betrayed to the cops, Fagin and his evil boss Bill (Foreman) plot to get him back.

Polanski freshens this well-worn story with wit and realism. He avoids cute sentimentality (no mean feat) and doesn't shy away from the gruesome realities of a period in which orphaned children, poor people and women are treated with disdain. In this sense, Polanski is making a remarkably astute comment about the modern world, although he never makes the parallel too obvious.

Production values are sheer magic--impeccably detailed and completely believable. And the story's jammed with strong characters, which the cast obviously relish playing. Kingsley shamelessly scene-steals as Fagin, the quirky rogue we can't help but like, as Oliver does. We can see the compassion (and maybe a touch of madness) beneath his villainous exterior. Clark is solid in the demanding central role, never drifting into adorable-child mode or relying on overwrought emotions, even when a scene might call for them. Polanski keeps him, and the other children, remarkably balanced. And if the supporting roles are a bit one-sided (Foreman's relentless despicability, Hardwicke's ceaseless optimism), at least they balance each other.

Polanski also knows how to inject real-life touches throughout the film, flashes of humour appear just when we need them, as does wry irony (such as the contrast between the fat-cat workhouse bosses and their bony young workers). Involving, captivating and nearly note perfect--in other words, a proper classic.

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Oliver Twist (2005) review written by: Rich Cline