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Tell Others About This Page By Using This Button "OLIVER TWIST" (2005) (Barney Clark, Ben Kingsley) (PG-13) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons Moderate Moderate Extreme *Moderate Moderate Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Moderate Minor Heavy None Mild Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence Moderate Heavy Mild Moderate Heavy QUICK TAKE: Drama: A young orphan must deal with a host of unsavory characters, criminals and the circumstances they create for him in 19th century London. PLOT: It's 19th century London and Oliver Twist (BARNEY CLARK) is a 9-year-old orphan who goes from one bad situation -- slaving away and starving in a workhouse for beadle Mr. Bumble (JEREMY SWIFT) -- to another such as working for and living in undertaker Mr. Sowerberry's (MICHAEL HEATH) home and workplace where he's terrorized by the man's wife. Having enough of that, young Oliver sets out on foot for London where he runs into Artful Dodger (HARRY EDEN), the leader of a pack of pickpockets and shoplifters who bring home their daily booty to their ringleader Fagin (BEN KINGSLEY). Always open for another petty criminal hand, Fagin takes in Oliver and feeds and educates him in the ways of the boys' trade. He also meets Fagin's criminal acquaintance Bill Sykes (JAMIE FOREMAN), that man's girlfriend, the comely Nancy (LEANNE ROWE), and eventually Sykes' criminal partner Toby Crackit (MARK STRONG). While watching Dodger and another boy "working," Oliver is mistakenly pointed out as the one who tried to pickpocket Mr. Brownlow (EDWARD HARDWICKE), a proper gentleman who, upon learning of Oliver's innocence, decides to take in the boy and give him a proper upbringing. Yet, Oliver's past acquaintances won't let him be, eventually kidnapping and forcing him to assist in a robbery of Brownlow's home. From that point on, things spiral out of control for all involved. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? Unless they're fans of the literary work, someone in the cast or director Roman Polanski, it doesn't seem too likely. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13 For disturbing images. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: BARNEY CLARK plays a young orphan in 19th century London who tries to find peace and happiness while dealing with a number of unsavory characters and criminals. BEN KINGSLEY plays the older ringleader of a bunch of boy pickpockets and petty thieves who takes Oliver into his fold but bows under pressure from Sykes about the orphan. JAMIE FOREMAN plays a criminal thug who's mean to everyone, wishes to harm Oliver and murders someone. HARRY EDEN plays Fagin's lead pickpocket who shows Oliver the ropes, but endangers the orphan and Nancy's lives by following Fagin's orders. LEANNE ROWE plays Sykes' comely girlfriend (and apparently a hooker) who eventually has enough of his ways and especially his treatment of Oliver, a decision on her part that she knows puts her life at risk. EDWARD HARDWICKE plays a proper gentleman who takes in Oliver and hopes to give him a proper upbringing after initially and wrongly thinking he was the boy who tried to rob him. MARK STRONG plays Sykes' partner in crime who's something of a loose cannon. CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit? Then read OUR TAKE of this film. (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below). OUR WORD TO PARENTS: The following is a brief summary of the content found in this period drama that's been rated PG-13. Profanity consists of 2 slang terms using male genitals ("pr*ck" - meaning a contemptible person), while other expletives and colorful phrases are uttered. A young woman (visually implied to be a hooker along with another young woman) shows varying amounts of cleavage (sometimes a lot). Violence includes a murder by beating (that occurs off camera, but we see some blood splatter and later a small pool of blood under a door); an accidental hanging; police shooting at a villain; a boy being wounded in a shooting; some fighting; and a man roughing up his girlfriend and kicking his dog (and later preparing to drown it, but he's unsuccessful). Those scenes and other moments of peril could be disturbing and/or suspenseful to some viewers (particularly younger ones). All sorts of bad attitudes are present, as is some imitative behavior (mainly pickpocketing and shoplifting by kids). Various characters drink and/or smoke, including some of the young boys, the main character is noted as being an orphan, and there's a brief scene showing the funeral of a child (with a small casket, etc.). Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to look more closely at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE A miscellaneous person walks by carrying a bottle of what's presumably alcohol of some sort. Fagin gives Oliver some hot gin and water upon taking him into his fold. Some of the kids may have wine. Upon hearing that Oliver's to be given some broth for what ails him, a man states that several glasses of port would do him better. Crackit says he can't talk business until he has a drink (which he does once he gets it). Fagin tells another kid to give Oliver a drink before bed (to help with his arm wound). Nancy pours some wine for Bill. Bill and Fagin have wine. Many miscellaneous people drink in a bar. Miscellaneous people drink. Brownlow, his friend, the maid and Oliver make a toast. BLOOD/GORE An older boy has a black eye after Oliver attacks him (for badmouthing his mother). We see Oliver's very dirty and/or blistered feet as he tries to walk 70 miles to London in worn-out shoes. Oliver has a tiny bit of a bloody lip after being punched there. Oliver has a few scrapes on his face. Oliver's arm is bloody as are Bill's hands after the latter accidentally shoots the former there. We see the deep bullet wound in Oliver's arm (in close-up and from a grazing) and Fagin tends to it. A man repeatedly strikes a woman with a cane or similar object (we don't see the impact, but hear it and see some blood splatter onto a table). Later, her friend arrives looking for her and discovers her body (we see blood from under the door, but don't see what the friend sees). DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE Various men who run an orphanage/workhouse have bad attitudes toward Oliver and the other children there. One refers to Oliver as a fool, another says he should pray for those who feed and educate him (although little of either occurs) and we see that they're using them as child labor in bad/inhumane working conditions (all while the men eat like kings, etc.). A man whacks his own mule/donkey on the snout. After being sent to live and work for a family, Oliver is told to eat the dog's scraps off the floor (and he does). An older kid is mean to Oliver, kicks him on the butt and says disparaging things about Oliver's dead mother. A coffin maker's wife treats him and Oliver badly. Artful Dodger shoplifts for food and we then see that he and other boys shoplift many things for Fagin. Fagin and the other kids teach Oliver how to be a pickpocket through a demonstration in their headquarters. Bill kicks his own dog and later tries to drown it. Sykes and Crackit have bad attitudes for being criminals and just in general, with the former also murdering someone out of anger. Bill treats Nancy badly. Bill and Crackit make Oliver assist them in robbing Brownlow's home, with Bill threatening the boy and then making him break and enter to allow the adults to get in. Feverish, Bill says he's going to find a river and drown Oliver in it. Fagin orders Dodger to watch Nancy and report on her doings. He then reports the news although he knows it means something bad for her. FRIGHTENING SCENES Scenes listed under "Violence" may also be unsettling or suspenseful to younger viewers and/or those with low tolerance levels for such material. Referring to Oliver having asked for more food, a man says "that boy will be hanged" (but that never occurs). We think that Oliver is going to have to sleep in a new/unused coffin, but then see him sleeping beneath one (at his new place of work for a coffin maker). We briefly see a funeral procession with a child's small coffin and grieving family members. We see Oliver collapse to the road out of exhaustion/hunger as he tries to walk 70 miles to London (and we see his very dirty and/or blistered feet). When Oliver wakes up to see Fagin rummaging through some of his (Fagin's) stuff that he wants kept secret, the old man suddenly races at Oliver with a pair of scissors and threatens him with them. After Dodger and another boy steal something from a man, a growing number of city folk think Oliver is guilty and then chase him through the crowded city streets. This ends when one older man punches Oliver in the face, knocking him to the ground and slightly bloodying his lip. Oliver collapses in court while on charges for thievery. Oliver collapses in a house. After we see that Brownlow has taken in Oliver and given him a proper home, Oliver goes to deliver something for him, but runs into Bill (and his dog) as well as Nancy who grabs him, claiming he's her formerly lost brother. Despite his protests to the contrary, no one comes to his aid. Oliver tries to escape from Fagin's place, but the other boys give chase, as does Bill's menacing dog. Fagin talks of some other kid being hanged. Bill loads a pistol in front of Oliver and then holds it on him, threatening to use it if Oliver squeals on them. Bill and Crackit make Oliver assist them in robbing Brownlow's home, with Bill threatening the boy and then making him break and enter to allow the adults to get in. Once inside, Oliver starts to go for the stairs up to Brownlow, but Bill aims his gun at Oliver again, signaling him to the front door. Oliver complies, but Brownlow and his maid wake up from the ruckus and start to come down the stairs as Bill and Crackit push the front door open, knocking Oliver to the floor. Brownlow fires at them, with Bill firing back but striking Oliver in the arm. As Crackit and Bill try to escape with Oliver, Bill ends up tumbling down a hill and into a river (at night) and we hear him yell for help, but then don't see or hear anything more from him (we later see him alive but suffering from a high fever). Feverish, Bill says he's going to find a river and drown Oliver in it. Knowing she has to meet with Brownlow to try to save Oliver from Bill, Nancy is stymied when he won't let her leave (he doesn't realize her objective). As she tries to leave, Bill grabs her by the hair and moves her to another room, threatening to sic his menacing dog to her throat. A man confronts a woman, knowing that she's gone behind his back and reported him. He then throws her to the floor and repeatedly strikes her with a cane or similar object (we don't see the impact, but hear it and see some blood splatter onto a table). Later, her friend arrives looking for her and discovers her body (we see blood from under the door, but don't see what the friend sees). Realizing his dog could lead the authorities to him, Bill prepares to drown it, but it won't let him attach a heavy weight to it (but he manages to kick the dog twice). Police shoot at Bill as he stands at a window. They then do the same as he's out on the ledge holding Oliver hostage. He then forces Oliver to climb up a steep roof and he and the boy do so, precariously, as the police fire once more at Bill. While distracted, a man accidentally hangs himself (we see the body dangling from the rope). We see gallows being built for a prisoner, but don't see it used on him. GUNS/WEAPONS Pistols/Rifles: Carried and/or used to threaten or shoot at others. See "Violence" and "Frightening/Tense Scenes" for details. IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Some of the occasionally thick accents as well as British slang make some of the dialogue hard to understand at times. That said, we heard the following phrases: "Give it a rest," "(You little) Wretch," "You hardened scoundrel," "Damn me," "Queer name" (meaning strange, not gay), "I'll eat my own head," "You avaricious old skeleton," "Shut it" and "Damn you (all)". The scenes and various styles of pickpocketing and shoplifting may be enticing for some kids to try to imitate. Bill kicks his own dog. Nancy mixes in some sort of knock-out agent into Bill's beverage to render him unconscious. JUMP SCENES Oliver suddenly sees himself in a mirror in a large room holding recently built coffins. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) A heavy amount of suspenseful, ominous and dramatic music plays in the film. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) None. PROFANITY Some of the occasionally thick accents as well as British slang make some of the dialogue hard to understand at times. That said, we heard the following: At least 7 damns, 2 slang terms using male genitals ("pr*ck" - meaning a contemptible person), 2 uses each of "For God's sakes" and "Oh God" and 1 use of "Oh my God." SEX/NUDITY Nancy shows cleavage (sometimes a lot in a push-up bra sort of fashion) in her period-style, low-cut dress (it's visually implied that she and another young woman are hookers, but we never see any related activity). The kids disrobe Oliver of the "fancy" clothes that Brownlow has given him (we don't see anything explicit and it's done in a mean rather than sexual fashion). We see some men and women cavorting in a bar (where it's assumed the women are prostitutes but that's never made clear either way). We see some miscellaneous cleavage. SMOKING Two men snort what's presumably snuff off their hands from what was pinched from a miniature snuff-box that's shaped like a coffin. Various characters (adults and children, including Bill, Crackit and Dodger) smoke pipes in many scenes. TENSE FAMILY SCENES We hear that 9-year-old Oliver is an orphan. We briefly see a funeral procession with a child's small coffin and grieving family members. TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT We hear that 9-year-old Oliver is an orphan and he later takes offense at an older boy badmouthing Oliver's dead mother. The social satire/attack on display here via the characters, symbolism and more. Artful Dodger shoplifts for food and we then see that he and other boys shoplift many things for Fagin. We see gallows being built for a prisoner, but don't see it used on him. Why Oliver wants to see Fagin in prison after all that's occurred because of that man. VIOLENCE After Oliver loses a bet and must ask the adults for more food, they become incredulous, with one whacking at Oliver (we don't see the impact, if any). A man whacks his own mule/donkey on the snout. An older kid is mean to Oliver, kicks him on the butt and says disparaging things about Oliver's dead mother. Having enough of an older boy picking on him and saying bad things about his dead mother, Oliver suddenly rushes and knocks the boy to the floor where he proceeds to punch and kick the boy repeatedly until being pulled away. That older boy and the maid then whack at Oliver before he's thrown into a coal room to confine him. Later, the family matriarch makes her husband use a rod of some sort to spank Oliver (we hear but don't see the impact). We see some miscellaneous people struggling on the street, followed moments later by some pushing, hitting and an unseen kick among other miscellaneous people. Artful Dodger and another boy play keep-away from a third kid who then kicks Dodger. After Dodger and another boy steal something from a man, a growing number of city folk think Oliver is guilty and then chase him through the crowded city streets. This ends when one older man punches Oliver in the face, knocking him to the ground and slightly bloodying his lip. Upset at Oliver being nabbed by the authorities, Fagin grabs at Dodger who then grabs a long and sharp prong and jabs it at Fagin. In turn, Fagin throws a mug at Dodger, but it accidentally hits Bill, who's just entered. Bill kicks his own dog. A man whacks Oliver. Bill backhands Nancy to the floor. Fagin whacks Oliver with a rod of some sort several times until Nancy stops him and then whacks at Fagin. Bill then throws her to the floor. Crackit throws something at his assistant to wake him up. Bill and Crackit make Oliver assist them in robbing Brownlow's home, with Bill threatening the boy and then making him break and enter to allow the adults to get in. Once inside, Oliver starts to go for the stairs up to Brownlow, but Bill aims his gun at Oliver again, signaling him to the front door. Oliver complies, but Brownlow and his maid wake up from the ruckus and start to come down the stairs as Bill and Crackit push the front door open, knocking Oliver to the floor. Brownlow fires at them, with Bill firing back but striking Oliver in the arm. Knowing she has to meet with Brownlow to try to save Oliver from Bill, Nancy is stymied when he won't let her leave (he doesn't realize her objective). As she tries to leave, Bill grabs her by the hair and moves her to another room, threatening to sick his menacing dog to her throat. Bill pushes Fagin aside to exit. A man confronts a woman, knowing that she's gone behind his back and reported him. He then throws her to the floor and repeatedly strikes her with a cane or similar object (we don't see the impact, but hear it and see some blood splatter onto a table). Later, her friend arrives looking for her and discovers her body (we see blood from under the door, but don't see what the friend sees). Realizing his dog could lead the authorities to him, Bill prepares to drown it, but it won't let him attach a heavy weight to it (but he manages to kick the dog twice). Dodger jumps on Bill, knocking him to the floor where he wails on him until Bill throws him aside. Police shoot at Bill as he stands at a window. They then do the same as he's out on the ledge holding Oliver hostage. He then forces Oliver to climb up a steep roof and he and the boy do so, precariously, as the police fire once more at Bill. While distracted, a man accidentally hangs himself (we see the body dangling from the rope). Reviewed September 12, 2005 / Posted September 30, 2005

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