Went and saw Oliver Twist last night. I thought it was cast very well. Oliver was super, as was the Artful Dodger. Ben Kingsley as Fagen was an obvious choice, and he put a lot into it. Something about him felt less believable than the rest, though. Maybe his beard. His portrayal certainly lent empathy to the character. Bill Sykes was scary strong and anything less would have been unforgivable. Dickens really does villlains well, better than heroes, I think. Nancy carried a fine balance of rough living with a kind heart.
It's been so many years since I've read the book, that I can't make any meaningful comparisons.
Overall, it was a superb retelling of the story, with a fine historical rendering in costumes, sets, and characters. It felt real. But after saying that, I still felt something was missing. I can't pin it down, but it just didn't feel like a Great! movie. It felt like a good movie. Maybe it was rushed, or maybe it was just a little too perfectly rustic. In the end, I'm glad I saw it once.
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