Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Ethan Hawke | ... | Finnegan Bell | |
Gwyneth Paltrow | ... | Estella | |
Hank Azaria | ... | Walter Plane | |
Chris Cooper | ... | Joe | |
Anne Bancroft | ... | Ms. Dinsmoor | |
Robert De Niro | ... | Prisoner / Lustig | |
Josh Mostel | ... | Jerry Ragno | |
Kim Dickens | ... | Maggie | |
Nell Campbell | ... | Erica Thrall | |
Gabriel Mann | ... | Owen (as Gabriel Mick) | |
Jeremy James Kissner | ... | Finnegan at Age 10 | |
Raquel Beaudene | ... | Estella at Age 10 | |
Stephen Spinella | ... | Carter Macleish | |
Marla Sucharetza | ... | Ruth Shepard | |
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Isabelle Anderson | ... | Lois Pope |
Based on Charles Dickens' timeless tale, this is a story of the love of a man for an unreachable woman. Updated to modern-day New York City, the story concerns a man of modest background who falls in love with a rich girl. But when a mysterious benefactor greenlights the man to make his dreams come true, everything done has the ultimate goal of making Estella fall in love with him. Written by Steve Richer <sricher@sympatico.ca>
A lot of users seem to complain that comparisons between this adaptation and the original Dickens novel are unfair. Well, it's a pretty weak movie, even if you TRY to take the novel off your mind. Everything happens just too fast. The characters are SO shallow, lacking the psychological side which is so important to make drama work. The cast doesn't help either. Fairly good performances by Anne Bancroft and Hank Azaria, but not much more. De Niro is completely lost in the whole picture (pun intended). Will please people looking for a quick, superficial love flick, but stay away from it if you are looking for proper entertainment (even if don't even plan ever reading Dicken's novel).