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Great Expectations Customer Reviews (4 - 6 of 17 Reviews)

The story, whilst perhaps different in detail retains much of Dickens's original themes. Hawke plays Finn, a simple fisherman until a mystery benefactor turns his dreams of becoming a a young woman who has been emotionally stunted by her bitter Aunt Dinsmore. The problem is, now she's engaged and has a whole new life all of her own.

Many people may complain about the fact that the movie focuses more on the couple's romance (or lack of it) rather than that of society that Dickens expressed in his novel. However, it is still true that this really was the centrepiece of the entire story in the first place. Anyway, the world of law and business of the book is perfectly transformed into the fickle art world that Finn enters into.

The acting is, quite simply, sublime. Hawke plays Finn well enough to make us understand his judgement, either good or bad. Yet it is Paltrow who really shines, as she is every bit the Estella of the book - mysterious, beautiful and sorrowful all at the same time. Crucially she delivers one of the book's key monologues comparing her situation to a girl who is afraid of sunlight with a tearful logic that is just perfect. The rest of the big name cast do well too, with a gloriously over-the-top Anne Bancroft and a menacing Robert DeNiro as Magwitch.

Cuarón directs the movie with great style, bringing real beauty to the tragic lives of the characters. On top of that there is a truly amazing set piece in Miss Dinsmore's overgrown mansion. It all flows along magnificently, transforming all of Dickens's themes to modern day with a panache that it is certainly unusual of most movies moving classic literature to modern day.

a heartfelt update
This cleverly takes Dickens' classic Great Expectations, renames Pip as Finnegan Bell, and has him growing up on the lush tropical Florida coast. He is still raised by his sister and her husband Joe (Chris Cooper in a small but touching role.) Finn encounters an escaped convict, helps him out, and gets to keep his life. He also meets the celebrated eccentric Ms. Dinsmoor and her neice Estella --Ms. Dinsmoor was jilted on her wedding day and is raising Estella to break men's hearts, namely Finn's when she is old enough.

As adults, Finn is a blue-collar adult with a gift for art -- he has an anonymous patron who sends him to New York. As a 1990s yuppie, Finn can at last attract and keep Estella, who is also in New York, dressed in apple-green designer clothes. (There is a lot of green in this movie! It is probably a reminder of the tropical Florida in concrete-grey New York.)

Gwyneth Paltrow is great as Estella but so so skinny it is painful. In one scene, she is wearing a backless dress and her spine juts out. Ironically, she is at a dinner table, eating a meal.

Ethan Hawke and Robert De Niro are the true stand-outs here, and prove that they have what it takes to portray Dickens' tale in any time and place and have all of the lessons ring clear and true.

"My Heart Is Broken"; Very Romantic Version of Dickens Novel
Argualbly Charles Dickens' most accomplished novel "Great Expectations" has much to offer; social satire, comedy, thriller, and romance. If you want most romantic film version of this beloved novel, you should watch this one.

Mexican Alfonso Cuaron changed all the settings of the original more radically than in his previous work, excellent "Little Princess." Pip, a lonely boy who is raised by his sister, is now called Finn, who draws pictures for a beautiful but cool girl Estella. Yes, as in the novel, Pip/Finn encounters this woman of fate in the garden of deserted house where eccentric Ms. Dinsmoor (= Miss Havisham of the original) lives her secluded life. There is no muddy marshes of Rochester, England, but the place is changed to Florida, USA, and Finn, who is raised by kind fisherman Joe, unexpectedly gains a chance to be an aspiring artist in New York with a help from unknown benefactor.

The plot change may dismay some fans of the book, but David Lean's acclaimed version of "Great Expectations" has also changed its ending, so let's not talk about it. Cuaron intentionaly dropped all the satrical aspects of the novel so that we can be immersed in the world of romance between Ethan Hawke's Finn and Gwyneth Paltrow's Estella. Both actors hold the center of the romancic relationship well, and we have good help from Anne Bancroft (a bit campy Dinsmoor) and Robert DeNiro. And you also can witness then comparatively unknown Chris Cooper's wide range of acting.

But the greatest merit of the film comes from the team behind these actors; the dazzling photography of Emmanuel Lubezki ("Little Princess") gives life to the director's trademark color green, and Patrick Doyle ("Sense and Sensibility") provides fantastic score for the scenes. And most of all, we must remember the name of the real painter of Finn's drawings, Francesco Clemente, whose uniquely sensual style infuses power and authenticity to the character of Finn. (If you want to see this hugely talented Italy-born genius, watch "Good Will Hunting," where he appears briefly as a hypnotist.)

Naturally, this kind of interpretation of classic novels can be risky, and "Great Expectations" has to pay some price. The film loses its momentum a little in latter half, owing to less amount of romance seen in this part -- this is one of the rare cases in which New York on screen is not as fascinating as it should be. And because of the story's twist concerning DeNiro's character, I am afraid that some may be led to doubt the artistic values of Finn's pictures. Don't be wrong; Finn's (or Clemente's) talent is a real thing.