Terrible movie.
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — Great Expectations
the_world_is_flat — 19 years ago(December 05, 2006 03:34 AM)
Do yourself a favor and read the book. This movie poorly adapted from an amazing book. It hacks and slashes everything to make it sexier and 'more appealing.' The green theme is just a poor attempt at trying to be symbolic. Wow. They painted everything green. Amazing. I'm sure it took a lot of effort. And the part with Magwitch?! What the hell?! Where's the character development?! In the book, there's more time for Pip to realize that Magwitch isn't just a convict. In the movie, everything's short and sweet. Read the book, people. It's much better than this crap.
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masha_xo — 19 years ago(December 11, 2006 06:20 PM)
that's why its an ADAPTATIONa brilliant novelmy absoloute favourite used to inspire a beutiful filmalso my favouriteyou have to look at it from a persective seperate from that which you saw the book. The key is to appreciate it as its own unitits called great expectations because is shares many similar themes and motives as the novel but uses them to create something new and wonderfullyou must watch the film again in a new light
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Cuba06 — 19 years ago(December 19, 2006 05:21 PM)
this is a pathetic adaptationi am reading the novel for my college prep class and i find it a hell lot more fascinating than this piece of crap.pip is finestella can't keep her clothes on when she is an adult.joe is a drug smuggler..what the hell is wrong with some directors lately????
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kay_cee_d — 19 years ago(December 20, 2006 09:09 AM)
I don't remember that much from the book because I read it a looong time ago, when I was a freshman in highschool (now junior in college), and I remember enjoying it even though it was required reading. When I watched this movie I just felt a lot of things were very off, and it just felt very weak in comparison to the book even though I haven't read it in so long. I was kind of disappointed, although I thought the little girl who played Estella was great, I loved her cold little facial expression. Otherwise it was weird to me, I wasn't really that impressed.
The spirit is eternal, deathless -
ardman — 18 years ago(August 29, 2007 08:42 PM)
i saw the movie and loved it. Then i read the book and found it to be a terrible book and a pathetic adaptation of the movie! The book didn't have the emotional connection that Finn and Estella had in the movie.
HOW'S THAT FOR PERSPECTIVE!! -
chelie2003 — 18 years ago(April 20, 2007 07:42 AM)
please watch the film more closely before making incorrect comments. fin only says joe was a drug smuggler and that joe subsequently died. we realize this is all a lie when he shows up ALIVE at fin's exhibition. he is actually just a fisherman..
as for estella not keeping her clothes on probably a good 70% of ADULTS can identify with that. So, why not? -
timmy_501 — 18 years ago(May 13, 2007 09:39 AM)
I think you are basically right, masho_xo. This is a decent movie, which is only a loose adaptation of Dickens. It kept me guessing, whereas a strict adaptation of the work might have bored me because I already knew exactly what was going to happen. It is unlikely that any movie would do justice to the book. This is an interesting reimagining of the story which works just well enough.
I'd give the movie 7/10.
Not a masterpiece like Dickens, but worth a look.
I should have been a pair of ragged claws
Scuttling across the floors of silent seas -
notorious_souljah_17 — 18 years ago(October 07, 2007 04:43 AM)
I had to watch this movie for an english assignment and it was very painful watching it. the near two hour movie bored me to death. they could of least put on training day Ethan Hawke is awesome in that. Instead we have to watch some nonsense bullsh*t patahtic romance movie. now i have to write 1000 words on this junk called a movie. ARGGGGGH.
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timmy_501 — 18 years ago(October 07, 2007 07:14 PM)
Why are you telling me about it? Are you sure you replied to the right person?
Also, your post is every bit as intelligent as your username
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wembleyfraggle1 — 19 years ago(December 23, 2006 12:01 PM)
People need to stop comparing books and movies on equal grounds. You cant. They are differnet media, not to mention differnt times. Rate them seperately. YOu have to adapt movies to the media they are on. You wouldnt expect someone who adapted a guitar song onto drums to produce the exact same nuances would you?
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jfalkstudio — 19 years ago(December 27, 2006 01:40 PM)
First off, I am one who has seen the movie and read the book, with my reading preceeding my viewing of the film. I'm really tired of people who obviously love books more than movies, complaining about movies because they expect it to be a 2 hour easy version of their experience of the book. Please, just stop watching movies. And in response to "the world is flat"'s comment about everything being green, and how easy that is. Actually, it is somewhat difficult to shoot photography with a consistent color theme and make things appear differently than they really are. "Little Bitter One" complains of the focus shift from Joe and Pip to Pip and Stella. This is a way to focus on a theme, which is generally what a film has to do for the sake of time, instead of explore a theme. It really boils down to a focus on unrequitted love, and the disappointments of growing up. I suspect critics of the film have trouble relating to these ideas. Look at all the exceptional actors, Deniro, Banecroft, Cooper, Hawke and Paltrow ( 4 of these are oscar winners ). I don't know what else you want from a movie. But let's remember, these are just opinions. You can't prove that a movie is good or bad, and judging a movie by a book is like tasting a meal with a grocery list.
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tommy-francis — 19 years ago(February 05, 2007 03:18 PM)
I love the book, but I think they did a very good job with the movie considering. The casting was excellent, Paltrow and Bancroft especially, and they did well cutting it down to fit into a 2 hour film without ruining the plot. The book is better, but the book is always better, accept this and enjoy the movie for what it is.
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lpycb42 — 19 years ago(February 07, 2007 07:47 AM)
True. It should'ne have been called great expectations, but something else. As a movie inspired by the book it's pretty good, but it's not a great adaptation. It lacked a lot of character development as you said. The thing is, Cuaron concentrated more on the romantic aspect of the story (which is Pip/Finn and Stella's relationship)instead of focusing on the real theme of the story which is more about spiritual growth.