David Copperfield

Saturday we were in Notting Hill and decided to see the movie David Copperfield at the Everyman. It had a winning formula of star-studded cast and Armando Iannucci's writing and direction and it was, after all, a Charles Dickens novel set partly in London.

Somehow it didn't quite work for me; I could sense it was a joyous celebration of the roles, but it was all pitched somewhat frenetically. I know about editing the scene so you don't need to show the entries and exits, but this took it to another level maybe suited to click-generation viewing.

There were some good little character studies developed by the individual actors, but somehow it didn't gel into a story that one could feel empathy towards. It was just too jump-cut between rags/riches/rags/riches with everyone running around and flailing their arms, kites and donkeys about.

There's the status anxiety of Uriah Heep (Ben Wishaw), or the gadfly flittishness of Mr Dick (High Laurie channellling some of his left-behind comedic acting), Tilda Swinton as the indomitable Betsey Trotwood, Peter Capaldi as Mr Micawber waiting for something to turn up. The older David Copperfield was played by Dev Patel, and he smilingly kept the comedy pacing rolling along, even when doing the 'bang head on beam' gag several times in a row.

Iannucci gets under the skin of politics in some of his comedies (Thick of It and Death of Stalin), but this one, whilst dealing with the diversity of London in Victorian times, the rule of property landlords and sweatshop working conditions somehow didn't land the same kind of satirical punches that the other movies have managed.

I couldn't help noticing the extracted words from Dicken's pen during the film. It has made me want to read the book again.