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Starring Ethan Hawke, Gwyneth Paltrow, Anne Bancroft, Robert DeNiro, Hank Azaria, Chris Cooper,
Kim Dickens, Jeremy James Kissner. Directed by Alfonzo Cuaron.
The classic Dickens tale is updated to modern day Florida, where a young orphan Finnegan Bell (Kissner) is living with his sister (Dickens) and her live-in boyfriend (Cooper). The boyfriend ekes out a living as a handyman and fisherman. Finn likes to explore the coast in a little motorboat. One day, while fishing in the shallow coastal waters, an escaped murder-row convict (DeNiro) grabs Finn, and threatens to harm him and his family if he doesn't bring him food. Finn goes out late at night and provides the convict with food and drink, and tries to help him escape to Mexico by boat. One day, Finn is helping his sister's boyfriend at the decaying but lavish home of the area's richest resident, Mrs. Dinsmoor (Bancroft). There, Finn sees a lovely, but haughty young girl Estella, and he is instantly smitten with her. Mrs. Dinsmoor hires Finn to entertain her, and dance with, play with and draw portraits of Estella. As they grow up Finn (Hawke) grows to love Estella (Paltrow), even as she treats him with disdain. Then all of a sudden, Estella vanishes, sent to an excellent school by Mrs. Dinsmoor, and Finn joins with the boyfriend in his fishing business. Seven years later, a mysterious benefactor has put up the cash to finance an art show for Finn's work in New York City. And wouldn't you know it - in a city of 18 million, he accidently bumps into Estella at a drinking fountain. How will it all end? The 1946 B&W David Lean version was excellent - atmospheric, tragic and moving. It is a hard act to follow. This version has much going for it. It is beautifully shot. The coast of Florida is gorgeous, Mrs. Dinsmoor's seedy mansion and grounds are lush, and New York City is dark, often rainy and foreboding. The cast is mixed. Paltrow is fine as the cold and alluring Estella, projecting a sleek and elegant beauty, and nicely demonstrating her inner conflict in wanting to marry into the upper crust, while denying her feelings for Finn. Hawke is not spectacular, but good as the obsessed Finn, who knows Estella treats him callously, but can't resist her anyway. Bancroft is more than a bit over-the-top, and it works only to a point. DeNiro does his Taxi Driver bit in the first part of the film, but is less effective in the latter part of the film. The film itself has some strong parts, but it never really gets going. It's tough to match a classic.   |