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Twist (2004)
Runtime: 1 hr 38 mins
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 The Artful Dodger (Dodge), TWIST is no longer a tale of the misfortunes of boys, but rather about the... 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]
Genre: Dramas
Starring: Nick Stahl, Joshua Close, Gary Farmer, Stephen McHattie, Michele-Barbara Pelletier
DVD Info
Release:
Jul 10, 2005
DVD Features:
- Region (unknown)
- Keep Case
- Full Frame - 1.33
Additional Release Material:
- Audio Commentary - 1. Jacob Tierney - Director, Cast
Reviews
My memory may be a little vague on this one, but I don’t recall any incest scenes in the original Oliver Twist
One of the glummest recent attempts to drag a classic story into the 21st century.
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.
The only thing funny about Twist is how seriously it takes its own pompous preposterousness.
Isn't without interest, but overall it's more an earnest attempt than a successful accomplishmrent.
Cuaron ran into trouble by being overly faithful to Dickens' story, changing almost nothing except the setting.
There's nothing here a handful of show-stopping production numbers--or a good steam cleaning--couldn't fix.
Apart from the somewhat novel conceit of turning Dickens into the stuff of a Gus Van Sant picture (see My Own Private Idaho), there's nothing original, nor compelling, about Twist.
Ultimately more unsavory than enlightening, and would have benefited from a more humorous approach to its purloined themes.
transforming the ending into a more realistic outcome doesn't make this provocative arthouse fare
Exceptional performances and effective raw moments, but too sordid for enjoyment.
Not much happens in Twist, apart from a dismal series of personal degradations, each more depressing than the last.
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