Great Expectations

Mike Newell pilots the latest adaptation of the Dickens classic with a steady hand, although it does feel a tad abbreviated. He’s got a good cast that gives the classic novel strong treatment, even if this is the sort of thing that should go to a 10-day miniseries rather than a two-hour movie. Jeremy Irvine (War Horse) does a capable job as Pip, the orphan turned gentleman by a mysterious benefactor. Ralph Fiennes is terrific as Magwitch, the criminal treated kindly by a young Pip, while Helena Bonham Carter shines in a few scenes as the wedding dress-wearing Miss Havisham (Havisham’s burning scene is handled well). Newell’s film looks good and is well acted but lacks some of the grandeur one might expect from a modern day retelling of the legendary story. It sometimes feels like Cliff Notes rather than the real thing.