Brightlyme i know i wasted 90 mins of my life.

Konterr Brilliant and touching

Gurlyndrobb While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

Skyler Great movie. Not sure what people expected but I found it highly entertaining.

Jackson Booth-Millard I saw the trailer for this film, based on a story by Charles Dickens, at the cinema, and with many great names in the cast I was quite keen to see it. Basically the Nickleby family enjoy a comfortable life, until the death of the father (Andrew Havill), leaving them penniless and forcing the children to travel to London to get help from uncle Ralph (Christopher Plummer). He is only interested in separating the family, and with an immediate dislike for his nephew Nicholas, he sends him to work for the sadistic northern England boys' school owner Wackford Squeers (Jim Broadbent). While Ralph is using Nicholas's grown up sister Kate (Romola Garai) to get investors on side, also grown up, Nicholas Nickleby (Charlie Hunnam) teaches the children, but leaves after a massive disagreement of opinion concerning discipline and punishment with Squeers, and he takes young crippled Smike (Billy Elliot's Jamie Bell) with him. Smike does not have any memory of his life before Dotheboys' Hall, but he proves a good friend and ally to Nicholas, as they travel back to London to bring the Nickleby family back together. On their way however they meet Vincent Crummles (Nathan Lane), his "wife Mrs. Crummles, or Mr. Leadville (Barry Humphries, aka Dame Edna Everage) and their acting troupe and join them performing for a while. I don't remember much else after this, only that with the help of Ralph's friendly secretary Newman Noggs (Tom Courtenay), Nicholas and Kate reunite and go against their uncle, ultimately rising over adversity. Also starring Edward Fox as Sir Mulberry Hawk, Juliet Stevenson as Mrs. Squeers, Timothy Spall as Charles Cheeryble, Alan Cumming as Mr. Folair, Anne Hathaway as Madeline Bray, Gerard Horan as Ned Cheeryble, Kevin McKidd as John Browdie, Nicholas Rowe as Lord Verisopht, Sophie Thompson as Miss Lacreevy, Stella Gonet as Mrs. Nickleby, Philip 'Phil' Davis as Brooker, Harry Potter's David Bradley as Nigel Bray and Heather Goldenhersh as Fanny Squeers. I will be honest and say it was the cast more than anything that interested me, also I did not pay the fullest attention I could of to the story, but for what I did, it is I suppose a pretty good period drama. It was nominated the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy. Worth watching!

yal-3 This adaptation of the novel proves to be both original and entertaining. Without losing any of the uniquely Dickensian spirit of the novel, this film version manages to create a new take on a Dickens classic. By having Vincent Crummles,a relatively minor character in the original, take center stage and become the narrator/presenter of the opening and closing scenes of the film, the director offers his own slant on Dickens's love of theatre and theatricallity. To that end, the choice to cast Dame Edna as Crummles's wife is a brilliant one.The other casting choices are also excellent. I found Jamie Bell's performance as Smike moving and accurate. What a far cry from "Billy Eliot", although his performance in that awful movie was the film's only saving grace.This is a lesson in how to adapt a classic novel. Brilliant, fun and moving. I highly recommend it and not only to die hard Dickens fans.

T Y In 1980 one could enjoy the novelty and spectacle of revisiting Nicholas Nickley with a multi-hour play version. When I saw the poster for this in 2002, I was bewildered as to who the audience was for a new Dickens movie? Who wanted this? What can Dickens and his twee bromides say to a world that saw 300,000 people die in a tsunami, and lived through Sept 11th? I took to mocking the casting as the boy-band version of Nickleby. And to be sure it's that.I'm older now and less susceptible to Dickens tiresome devices and excesses. And there is much that isn't worth a toss in this, but maybe half of it is pretty good. And it has a fresh-faced cheerful cast that prevents the sentiment from getting too mawkish. The prior project (with vivid turns from Alun Armstrong, Edward Petherbridge, Lyla Kaye) is still strong in my memory, with many tears shed over the outcast Smike.Watching this production caused two strong reactions: Each scene of this summoned up the emotions of related scenes in the the RSC production and the impact was felt two-fold. This version is working a gay subtext between Smike and Nicholas, here much more closely related in age, looks and intelligence than in the play. The looks they exchange, the caresses, their love is as near-gay as anything I've ever seen in a movie. It will be a long time before a gay film will depict love on this scale, or be this honest about male affection. It gives a viewer chills. Smike's death is as sad and well-written as anything that's ever made you cry. Again... deeply-felt tears for Smike.Aspects of the Nickleby story turn up in Jean De Florette and Les Mis.

Khemaluck Deeprawat I rented this movie because it receives 7.3 average scores from the votes in IMDb.com However, it was a little disappointing. The film did not capture my interest that much. I think it's because the main character is an all too-good gentleman. The evil is just plain evil. It's like watching an old movie that wants to teach and uplift moral in society. Well, good intention, but a bit preachy and boring. The conversation is too long and some are unnecessary. The story is just nothing but a series of hardship that one has to go through, but somehow Nicholas seems to know it all how to deal with the obstacles in his life. What's fun about that? He already knows that he will win and the story does not make it too difficult for him to win. Actually, in the beginning when he was sent to that horrible school and finally stood up against the evil couple and helped the poor crippled boy, I was shouting in my mind 'Go,Nick,Go! You must do it. Don't let them hurt that poor boy!' That part was very good and very moving. But after that, our Nicholas becomes the know-it-all hero who looks like a knight in shiny armour. He rescues everyone. He is a real gentleman with no flaw. That's really the weakest point of this film. Don't get me wrong. This is not a terrible film or anything. It's well intended and the story is harmless for viewers of all ages. The acting is fine. The cinematography, the lighting, the scenery, are very beautiful. It's just that the story is a bit too dragging and the characters are too flat. That's all. I still want to recommend this as a family movie, the one you can watch with young children and let them see example of true gentleman. It's better than let them watch something full of gun, blood, and swearing.