★★★★
The life of David Copperfield from childhood to maturity, with his own adventures and the web of friends and enemies he meets along his way.
Classification: PG
Let me be upfront and admit my philistine past; I have not read David Copperfield, in fact, I haven't read much of Charles Dickens, I'm one of those stupid Americans who gets the name of his famous protagonist confused with that magician. Yet my love for Armando Iannucci led me to be immensely interested in this retelling of a classic tale with its diverse cast and Iannucci's satirical genius. Iannucci who has directed and co-written this film alongside Simon Blackwell is entrenched as one of Britain's finest satirists, known for biting political mockery which exposes the stupid hypocritical actions of governments, foolish and foul-mouthed protagonists and exposing how the cynical cruelty of this world stems back to the idiocy and cowardice of weak-willed individuals. The Personal History of David Copperfield just from its tone and presentation would seem to be a radical departure for Iannucci's wheelhouse but in fact, through its beautiful execution and creative spirit, tells the story of a good man finding joy within a cruel world and overcoming the hardships thrown his way.
It's easy to let the pressure crush you, the depression and the fear to overwhelm you but right from the opening of The Personal History of David Copperfield, Iannucci and Dev Patel's titular storyteller offer a surreal, magical but deeply human escape. It's fantasy at times but a clear and important reminder of what has made Dicken's literature endure for the last 150 years as his semi-autobiographical novel speaks to the importance of what connects us as a people. Copperfield's most treasured possession is memory; a box filled with papers of thoughts and phrases picked up from his travels and the colourful people who inhabited them like the affectionate folksy Peggotty or the optimistic, indebted Mr Micawber. The way language and its distinctions inform class and stature influences Iannucci's vision of Dickensian London but also how Copperfield is a man between two worlds of poverty and wealth. He has a man in search of belonging as he was torn from his childhood home by his loathsome stepfather Murdstone to work in a bottle factory, feeling shame for his upbringing by how he to pretend and perform between so many different social circles. Copperfield's name changes so many times but those he interacts it; his identity has to be moulded into whatever role he must assume next to endure. The stability of his life always in flux reflected by Iannucci's structuring of the script and editing as at times the film can feel overwhelming in how much of the story is thrown at you.
The wealth of characters show how the complicated natures of people are always boiled down to the value of money in the world, still the case today. Mr Micawber, a loveable family man with a dapper outfit that almost has Peter Capaldi's performance seem like something out of wonderland (Suzie Harman and Robert Worley's costume design work is sublime) is ostracised for his immense debt to creditors. A man of character and wisdom reduced to a joke, the stain of humiliation wherever he goes, a stain that Copperfield wishes to rid of himself. The eccentricities of Tilda Swinton and Hugh Laurie's Betsey Trotwood and Mr Dick, including donkey phobias and kite rides fuelled by the thoughts of the deceased Charles I are seen as quirky habits due to their fortune and position. Ben Whishaw's slippery Uriah Heep is seen as a punching bag, a poor cretin whose mockery is a game to others, however even after attaining financial power through Benedict Wong's Mr Wickfield, Heep still is not seen as an equal among affluent folk, only building his malice towards those with wealth. Wickfield's vice for alcohol is played for comedy and another humorous "quirk" where if not for his position he would be seen as an embarrassing fool, another outcast on the street like Micawber. Iannucci's intention is not to disparage these unique characters (except maybe Uriah Heep), the performances are beautiful and the humour has a warming, heartfelt tone that makes the film all the more loveable and delightfully strange. But essentially Copperfield's journey has him go back and forth between this construct of monetary value where when the third act literally brings him back together with the entire ensemble, it's a story of how the true value of life comes from its people and love between them. Copperfield's story, which Patel's performance tells with great pride would be nothing without Micawber, Peggotty and the Lobster people of Yarmouth, Betsey Trotwood, Mr Dick, the Wickfields, Dora Spenlow, James Steerforth and how this menagerie of perspective, love and family shaped him into a man who takes pride in his unique heritage and story.
This adventure starts rough, it feels like Iannucci and editors Mick Audsley and Peter Lambert shooting you out of a cannon for the first 20 minutes as we rush through exposition, surrealist imagery, life, death trying to capture every last piece of minutiae from Dicken's novel. Iannucci does a lot to visually make Copperfield his own, this madcap spirit defining itself apart from other costume dramas. From altering elements of the novel such as Dora and Copperfield's romantic relationship, having Morfydd Clark play both Spenlow and Copperfield's mother being a subtle choice speaking to Copperfield's childhood traumas and his desire to return to his earliest, happiest memories. Most importantly however in how Dev Patel's Copperfield tells his story, beginning with him reading from his eponymous novel than transporting through flashbacks to the day of his birth and other surreal devices of reminiscing upon his life. The first act is heavy loaded with many different ideas, most not sticking throughout the film making them distracting like Iannucci is finding his groove in wrestling Dickens to his whim. When Copperfield reaches Betsey Trotwood in Dover, the film finds solid footing, the editing finally lets up and the charm and comedy of the performances really begin to shine and never stops being hilarious.
Iannucci tries a lot of ideas within The Personal History of David Copperfield, it's a journey through memory and so it's frantic, confusing, bittersweet and his various depictions of these visuals elevate the work far beyond other interpretations. Interiors backlit with footage of character's recollections, transitions into epic scenery, large groundbreaking moments just stopping as Copperfield obsesses over the words on the page. It's wildly inventive and while not everything works, Iannucci has the film glow with such artistry and grace that its faults make it all the more interesting. It is so much more than a typical costume drama but it's a shame that the work is almost confined to these two hours, most of the time it feels Iannucci's vision could be best served as a miniseries or even a longer edit just to let some of the more haphazard sections breathe a little easier.
The issues with structure and editing, however, are made up in spades but the captivating script and the knockout, pure joyous, rambunctious, maddening hilarity of every performance that graces the screen. The multicultural cast of the film is a wonderful departure from the typical costume drama, embuing the film with a fresh modern approach and allowing this story of a family of all kinds coming together to have greater resonance to our larger world. It's not made an issue at all, while stature and revenue control all, race and bigotry don't drive the conflicts of Copperfield's journey. This best exemplified by Dev Patel's magnificent performance as our fallible but loveable protagonist, adjectives galore shall be thrown at his and his castmates performances but it's how he personifies Copperfield's struggles as something that we all share that makes the film such a captivation. Hugh Laurie's performance as Mr Dick is another highlight, his penchant for regal thoughts and kite flying being delightful and how his mental illness is portrayed as something endearing rather than shameful makes the heart soar. Scenes of Patel, Laurie and Rosalind Eleazar running in fields, kites high as pain wilts and love is forged in unforgettable bonds just reaffirms to the power of Dicken's novel but also to Iannucci's brilliance in making the genre speak more to just typical pomp and circumstance. Nothing is stuffy, stilted or traditional but brimming with an optimism that makes you want to run, laugh and bang pots and pans at donkeys.
I will gladly spend more time and words to sing praises of the whole cast till my dying day but no one really puts a bad foot forwards, the smaller players bring great authenticity to their characters and it makes Iannucci's vision of Victorian England a little more magical. Tilda Swinton as Betsey Trotwood is her magnificent bizarre self at her best, Ben Whishaw reveals new levels of his brilliance as the uncomfortably slimy Uriah Heep. Rosalind Eleazar and Aneurin Barnard may be more straight-laced compared to more eccentric players but they still have such layered pains to their characters; Barnard's depth to Steerforth tying into the themes of equality and stature in a tragic, inescapable way. Peter Capaldi as Mr Micawber is classicly Dickensian in his mannerisms and idiosyncrasies and it always a delight to see him and Iannucci work together, in fact, one of the more heartwarming moments of the film was when in the third act all of David's companions find themselves all living with him in a small apartment in London. Micawbers, Peggotty's, Trotwoods, and so to just see two of Iannucci's most frequent collaborators Capaldi and Laurie to share a scene together was just magical especially as it sees them and Patel run through London streets in exuberant glee. Finally a special, special shoutout to Benedict Wong who in an ensemble this talented stole every scene he was in as Mr Whitfield. While other characters had comedy highlights of wordplay and emotional joy to great hilarity, the physical comedy of Wong trying to get a glass of sherry from a hidden bar within a globe is one of the funniest things I've ever seen.
Iannucci's masterful timing of comedy still fires from all cylinders as The Personal History of David Copperfield is one of the funniest films of the year. It's so delightfully strange and creative, a tonic for the soul that speaks to the classic nature that has endured the novel for decades but with a modern sensibility that still feels timeless. Great emotion anchored by beautiful performances and imagery, the film can be a rough journey at times but almost reflective to Copperfield's struggles in finding his own voice among the many he encountered. The journey to find oneself is the journey we all take as we live and it's one made all the greater by those we meet along the way, Copperfield's story may seem like a remnant of the past but Iannucci reminds us all that it's more relevant and important than ever.
Director: #ArmandoIannucci
Cast: #DevPatel, #AneurinBarnard, #PeterCapaldi, #MorfyddClark, #DaisyMayCooper, #RosalindEleazar, #HughLaurie, #TildaSwinton, #BenWhishaw, #PaulWhitehouse, #BenedictWong, #GwendolineChristie, #DarrenBoyd
Release Date: January 24th 2019
Trailer:
Written review copyright ©CoreyBullochReviews
Images from the Internet Movie Database, Synopsis from Google
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