TWIST

UK, 2021, 90 minutes, Colour.

Raff Law, Michael Caine, Lena Heady, Sophie Simnett, Rita Ora, David Walliams, Noel Clarke, Jason Maza.

Directed by Martin Owen.

What does Charles Dickens do in his heavenly afterlife? Perhaps he spends a lot of time looking down on Earth, seeing all the different adaptations of his stories, for cinemas, for television. There is quite a lot, perhaps enough to keep him fairly occupied. And, so, the question arises, how do we respond to this adaptation of Oliver Twist?

The screenplay keeps a lot of the basic narrative from Dickens, bringing it into the 21^st-century. We are treated to some scenes of Oliver as a little boy, artistic, devoted to his mother, her death, his becoming an orphan, finding his way in the world, squatting on roofs, surviving.

But, there is an extraordinary element, right from the beginning, that pervades the whole film, possibly making Dickens breathless (if that is appropriate for life in heaven) as he watches all the running, leaping, acrobatics, not only of Oliver but also of some of his fellow-thieves. The film is full of Parkour, one might say Parkour Partout. (And for those who may not be quite up-to-date with this vigorous activity: the activity or sport of moving rapidly through an area, typically in an urban environment, negotiating obstacles by running, jumping, and climbing, the name coming from “obstacles”).

There are some pauses for breath but, just as the audience relaxes, there is yet another chase, frantic running and leaping over the roofs of London.

Oliver is played by Raff Law – and, yes, he is the son of Jude Law, resembling his father both in facial appearance as well as manner of speaking and delivering his lines.

And Fagin? Dickens might well be pleased that he is played by Michael Caine, aged 88, 60 years of filmmaking and performance, just himself and easy to watch. And, while there is Nancy (Sophie Simnett), there is another substantial change from the novel. Not Bill Sikes, but simply Sikes, played intensely by Lena Heady after her stint in Game of Thrones, dressed in black, fierce, and in strong competition with Robert Newton and Oliver Reed from the past.

And, the villain is a duplicitous art dealer played by David Walliams.

In fact, the bloggers have been savagely severe against Twist. Perhaps, they shuld simply should sit back, relax, enjoy the adaptation and the Dickensian overtones.

1. The title? Oliver Twist? Adaptation and updating?
2. The London setting? The vistas of London? Buildings, rooftops…? The interiors? The art world? The Parkour?
3. The opening, the chase, the rooftops, the leaps…? Tom and his death? The envelope? Creating the atmosphere?
4. The story of Oliver Twist? With his mother, the paintings, the gallery, Ophelia? Meaning (and the later visit with Nancy)? Devotion to his mother? Her death? His being alone, squatting, surviving?
5. The encounter with Dodge, a female Artful Dodger? Leading him to Fagin? The interrogation by Fagin? His standing his ground? The meal, those at the table? The visit of Sikes? The attraction to Nancy?
6. Oliver, his age, character, survival, art, hopes? Involvement with Fagin? The attraction to Nancy? Antagonism towards Sikes? His involvement with the heist?
7. Michael Caine as Fagin, the parallels with the Dickens character? With the thieves? His philosophy of life? The past partnership with Lesborne? Wanting revenge? The story of the paintings, the disappearance, the option?
8. The tactics for the heist, Fagin disguising himself, the Russian accent, getting the information about the gallery? Going to the auction, the gun in Lesborne’s pocket?
9. Lesborne, smarmy, the art gallery, the option, his doublecrossing Fagin? The setup, stealing his phone, the tactics to get it to the computer, paced, passing it on, his driving off, Oliver getting into the taxi, finding the phone, disappearing? At the auction? Nancy coming for the job offer, his flirting, the toilet, Oliver having to save her? His comeuppance?
10. Sikes, the female Bill Sikes, savage, demanding, hold over Fagin, partnerships? The relationship with Nancy? The buildup to the final confrontation? The leap, the attack, her falling to her death?
11. Fagin, his ambitions, success? The disbanding of the thieves? Dodge and her future?
12. Oliver, the attraction to Nancy, the outing together, the swimming pool, his being arrested, the interrogation, the police?
13. The two officers, investigations, the information about Fagin, about Lesborne, at the auction, the mayhem, chases? Confronting Oliver? The return of the painting – in the cafe above them?
14. The target audience? Young Adults, adult audiences?