Review : Dev Patel as David Copperfield is wonderful

RATING:- ***

Charles Dickens’ novel with a central character David Copperfield is adapted into a movie by writer and director Armando Iannucci. ‘The Personal History of David Copperfield’ is written in the first person as a description of his life until middle age, with his own adventures and the numerous friends and enemies he meets along his way. incidentally the original name of the novel is ‘The Personal History, Adventures, Experience and Observation of David Copperfield the Younger of Blunderstone Rookery‘ and obviously it required curtailment for a movie name. It is David’s journey of change and growth from infancy to maturity, as people enter and leave his life and he passes through the stages of his development.

This Victorian era story encompasses the life of David Copperfield from his birth to now. The charming young David is spending his life joyously till his widowed mother Clara (Morfydd Clark) remarries Mr Murdstone (Darren Boyd). Young David finds him cruel as he gets punished by his step father. Furthermore David is packed off to work at bottling factory owned by Mr Murdstone. His misfortunes continue as he comes to know about his mother’s demise and he is packed off to his wealthy aunt Betsey Trotwood (Tilda Swinton) and her lodger, the eccentric Mr. Dick (Hugh Laurie). This phase of his life shapes his future and with coaxing from Mr Dick, he starts writing to become a famous writer.

The movie is an exuberant and optimistic with right dose of eccentricity. But though it shows intentions of being quirky, it fails to lift the spirit of the narrative. The two hour constraint doesn’t allow the director to extract right amount of emotions. Some of the scenes end abruptly which make the narrative a bit jerky. Best part about the film is that it’s brightness, shown in every frame. The director has avoided darkness, focusing on positivity throughout. David’s contrasting mindset is beautifully underlined with his visits to boat house at different ages. Dev Patel, a British Indian actor, makes a wonderful Copperfield and lights up the screen. His portrayal shows David in sturdy, kind, charismatic ways. The entire star cast does justice to their characters. Though the movie depicts many ethnicities, it doesn’t jar the flow of the story. The movie, sometimes, falters due to trying to be funny in every frame.

Indian audience bred on Hollywood accent may find the British accent a bit heavy, nevertheless ‘The Personal History of David Copperfield’ is a watchable film.