Movie Review: Oliver Twist (2005)

This movie was directed by Roman Polanski.  This is not the musical, but an Oliver Twist (Barney Clark) with a very different ending than from the musical.  This movie is also more strait forward, without speculation as to Oliver's parentage, but he is taken in all the same by Mr. Brownow (Edward Hardwicke, when Oliver is falsely accused of pick pocketing).  However, Fagin (Ben Kingsley), and Bill Sykes (Jamie Foreman) are determined to have Oliver back, based on what he might say; and Sykes uses him to rob his benefactor's home.  However the robbery goes awry.    Nancy (Leanne Rowe) the girlfriend of Bill Sykes has a heart, and feels they should leave the boy alone.  She decides to take things into her own hand.  However this only leads to her own murder.  She and Sykes had a strange relationship based on abuse.  The group take to the country, with the police following them trying to get Sykes.  Again Oliver is chosen as the hostage of Sykes, but still things do not go in Sykes' favor.  In this version Fagin does not get away.

Movie Review: ***Oliver Twist (2005)

This is a Roman Polanski version of Oliver Twist.  It is much darker than any of the other versions I have seen.  How Nancy could hook up with him is beyond me.  However, Oliver is just reaching out after having run away.  Runaways are too often the victims of those who would set out to protect them.  That is what we see here, a boy whose life has no value, and he is headed for a watery grave at the bottom of the river, if there is no one to save him. This version has some likeable scenes, but over all too dark for my taste.