Blu-ray Review - Great Expectations

Great Expectations
Director: Mike Newell
Starring: Jeremy Irvine, Helena Bonham Carter, Ralph Fiennes, Holliday Grainger
Studio: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Release Date: April 15, 2014
Retail: $29.99
ASIN: B00IEXX2RI
Running Time: 128 minutes
Rating: PG-13

Review:

Arriving on Blu-ray for the first time in the United States is the 2012 film adaption of Charles Dickens' classic tale Great Expectations. The film was directed by Mike Newell (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire) and stars Jeremy Irvine, Helena Bonham Carter, Ralph Fiennes and Holliday Grainger. Special Features include the Great Expectations Premiere and trailers.

Great Expectations first appeared in the periodical All the Year Round in 1860, as a weekly serial until August 1961. Chapman and Hall published the novel in three volumes in October 1861. At the time the novel received mixed reviews from critics, but it is now considered a classic and is a recommend read for most high school and college literature classes.

There has many film adaptions, mini-series and spin-offs based on Great Expectations over the years, the only one I had ever seen before reviewing this Blu-ray was the 1998 contemporary version starring Gwyneth Paltrow and Ethan Hawke, which in my opinion wasn't a very good film.

Many of you probably have never heard of the 2012 version of the classic tale and there is a good , reason, as it only appeared at the BFI London Film Festival and the Toronto Film Festival, followed by a limited release in the UK. The film has finally made its way to the United States, but only on DVD and Blu-ray.

The film centers on a young blacksmith's apprentice, Pip (played by Jeremy Irvine), whose life is completely changed when he inherits a fortune from a mysterious benefactor. He relocates to London and tries to become a member of society. He runs into an old childhood friend, Estella (played by Holiday Grainger), and the two fall in love, but their relationship is put into jeopardy when their pasts catches up with them.


While only receiving mixed reviews from critics, I found Great Expectations to be a delightful film, and I don't usually care for these types of films, but thanks to an outstanding cast, a tight script and beautiful cinematography, it turned out to a wonderful movie.

*Disclaimer - I received a complimentary copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.