Great Expectations (1998)

Set in Florida's Gulf Coast, a young boy (Jeremy James Kissner, later morphing into Ethan Hawkes) encounters an escaped convict (Robert De Niro), who he provides tools to cut his shackles and some food. Not long after, he is summoned to the decaying mansion of a rich but dotty old lady (Anne Bancroft) to entertain her. Based on the classic novel by Charles Dickens and directed by Alfonso Cuaron (GRAVITY). An interesting but misguided attempt at updating the 1861 Dickens novel to contemporary Florida and Manhattan. What did Cuaron hope to accomplish? Hawkes' self involved Finn bears no resemblance to the innocent Pip of the Dickens book. The Dickens narrative seems forced rather than organic to the material we're watching. If Cuaron wanted to change the Dickens narrative to suit his own creative purpose, he should have gone further in shedding the Dickens storyline. The splendid cinematography by Emmanuel Lubezki (THE TREE OF LIFE) assists the film immeasurably. As it stands, it's not good Dickens and it's not good Cuaron either. Still, not as bad as it could have been. With Gwyneth Paltrow, Chris Cooper, Hank Azaria, Kim Dickens, Nell Campbell and Josh Mostel.