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Great Expectations Details

1997 Certificate 15
  • Rated:
  • 60
  • from 4427 members

A rising artist, flourishing with the help of a benefactor, falls fruitlessly in love with his wealthy childhood playmate, who has grown to be a beautiful coquette. But the nefarious influence of her eccentric, spiteful maiden aunt taints their relationship. A stylish, heavily romantic updating of the eponymous Dickens classic, .. Read more

Starring Ethan Hawke, Gwyneth Paltrow, Anne Bancroft, Robert De Niro
Director Alfonso Cuaron
Genres Drama, Romance

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Great Expectations

A rising artist, flourishing with the help of a benefactor, falls fruitlessly in love with his wealthy childhood playmate, who has grown to be a beautiful coquette. But the nefarious influence of her eccentric, spiteful maiden aunt taints their relationship. A stylish, heavily romantic updating of the eponymous Dickens classic, staged in 1970s south Florida. Bancroft, as the "Miss Havisham" character, steals the show.

Starring Ethan Hawke, Gwyneth Paltrow, Anne Bancroft, Robert De Niro, Chris Cooper, Hank Azaria, Nell Campbell, Josh Mostel, Marla Sucharetza, Stephen Spinella, Kim Dickens, Isabelle Anderson, Raquel Beaudene, Jeremy James Kissner, Gabriel Mick
Director Alfonso Cuaron
Studio 20TH CENTURY FOX HOME ENTERTAINMENT
Run time DVD: 1 hr 47 mins
Certificate Certificate 15
Genres Drama, Romance
Language DVD: English
Hearing-impaired English
Subtitles DVD: Czech, Danish, English, Finnish, Hebrew, Hungarian, Icelandic, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Swedish
Released DVD: 04 Feb 2002
Production year: 1997
Format DVD
  • Critics' reviews (6) of Great Expectations

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  • A modern version of Charles Dickens's novel, with its hero turned into a brooding artist; despite the care lavished upon it, the picture is devoid of life.

    • Halliwell's Film Guide
  • "...Exciting....It's the films very lightness which confirms Cuaron as probably the most graceful director to emerge in Hollywood this decade..."

    • Sight and Sound
  • Most helpful member's review of Great Expectations

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  • 13 out of 15 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 3 stars

    Medium Expectations

    This movie feels a bit flat and patchy and the characterisations are somewhat one dimensional. Paltrow is her usual pretty self, Ethan Hawke plays his usual shifty self and De Niro and Bancroft both go into pantomine mode.

    Its all a bit cartoon like and hardly breathes any life into Dickens novel due to its half-hearted mocking style.

    Worth a watch if you are a fan of any of the actors in the movie but if you want to watch this in the hope of seeing a top quality yarn then forget it.

      • Daniel Carl from Kilmarnock, Scotland
  • Most recent members' review of Great Expectations

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  • 13 out of 15 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 3 stars

    Medium Expectations

    This movie feels a bit flat and patchy and the characterisations are somewhat one dimensional. Paltrow is her usual pretty self, Ethan Hawke plays his usual shifty self and De Niro and Bancroft both go into pantomine mode.

    Its all a bit cartoon like and hardly breathes any life into Dickens novel due to its half-hearted mocking style.

    Worth a watch if you are a fan of any of the actors in the movie but if you want to watch this in the hope of seeing a top quality yarn then forget it.

      • Daniel Carl from Kilmarnock, Scotland
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Rating breakdown

4,427 Member ratings
  • 100
269
  • 90
218
  • 80
550
  • 70
667
  • 60
1,007
  • 50
586
  • 40
486
  • 30
262
  • 20
242
  • 10
140

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Average rating: 3.50   70% from 2 members

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    • A rising artist, flourishing with the help of a benefactor, falls fruitlessly in love with his wealthy childhood playmate, who has grown to be a beautiful coquette. But the nefarious influence of her ...