If you're going to mess with Dickens, you should show us the goods. And Tierney fails to do just that.
Twist (2004)
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Reviews Counted:31
Fresh:5
Rotten:26
Average Rating:4.4/10
Consensus: Despite of its contemporary setting and some strong performances, this is a bland retelling of Oliver Twist.
Theatrical Release:May 21, 2004 Limited
Synopsis: TWIST is a calmly lucid re-telling of Charles Dickens` classic Oliver Twist, updated to current times and moved out of the poor house and onto the streets of Toronto. Told from the point of view of... TWIST is a calmly lucid re-telling of Charles Dickens` classic Oliver Twist, updated to current times and moved out of the poor house and onto the streets of Toronto. Told from the point of view of The Artful Dodger (Dodge), TWIST is no longer a tale of the misfortunes of boys, but rather about the prosaically beautiful Oliver who falls into the hands of down-and-out young men. Dodge takes the young man under his wing and instructs him in the unforgiving arts of drug abuse and prostitution. As Oliver`s innocence dissolves, both young men confront inner and outer demons and, strangely, it is Dodge who finds he cannot escape his past. Faithful to the tragedy on which it is based, TWIST is about the creation of evil and the cyclical nature of violence that can keep even the bravest among us tangled in its web. Actor-turned-director/writer Jacob Tierney (The Neon Bible, This Is My Father), elicits exquisitely subtle performances from an ensemble cast featuring Nick Stahl (In the Bedroom, Terminator 3) and newcomer Joshua Close as the almost angelic Oliver. Although faithful to the social reformist impulse at the heart of Dickens` writing, TWIST translates the novel`s sorrow and fierce poignancy into starkly composed, beautifully cold images that will resonate with contemporary audiences. The film was a selection in both the Toronto International Film Festival and the Venice International Film Festival. -- © Strand Releasing [More]
Starring: Nick Stahl, Joshua Close, Gary Farmer, Stephen McHattie
Starring: Nick Stahl, Joshua Close, Gary Farmer, Stephen McHattie, Michele-Barbara Pelletier
Director: Jacob Tierney
Director: Jacob Tierney
Screenwriter: Jacob Tierney
Studio: Strand Releasing
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Reviews for Twist
Exceptional performances and effective raw moments, but too sordid for enjoyment.
Unrelenting in its tragedy, this movie should come with a major bummer warning or something to help you recover from the haunting images. The story is a little thin at times.
My memory may be a little vague on this one, but I don’t recall any incest scenes in the original Oliver Twist
If there is anything to be gained from tugging Oliver Twist from early industrial London to contemporary Toronto, it is not evident in this small, bland Canadian film.
There's nothing here a handful of show-stopping production numbers--or a good steam cleaning--couldn't fix.
Despite some strong performances, the movie never really makes a case for its own existence.
If he's listening, old Charlie Dickens must surely be yelling 'Liven it up, lads!' from the grave.
Ultimately more unsavory than enlightening, and would have benefited from a more humorous approach to its purloined themes.
Isn't without interest, but overall it's more an earnest attempt than a successful accomplishmrent.
[Tierney] shows a sure and confident hand in the script-writing, pacing and his vision of a starkly-shot grey, cold and inhospitable Toronto in the dead of winter.
transforming the ending into a more realistic outcome doesn't make this provocative arthouse fare
One of the glummest recent attempts to drag a classic story into the 21st century.
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 15% 15% | The Ugly Truth |
| 98% 98% | Up |
| 36% 36% | G.I. Joe: The Rise of … |
| 52% 52% | The Taking of Pelham 1… |
| 45% 45% | Ice Age: Dawn of the D… |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 36% 36% | Angels & Demons |
| 68% 68% | Funny People |
| 25% 25% | Four Christmases |
| 45% 45% | Shorts |
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