Armando Iannucci takes the Charles Dickens’ novel to the big screen in a joyous whirlwind of fun and laughs. The ensemble cast of British actors, including Hugh Laurie, Benedict Wong and Peter Capaldi, is led by Dev Patel in the starring role, and he is fantastically charming and entertaining as the leading man. The film follows the trials and tribulations of David Copperfield’s life and how he eventually puts them down in writing, to great financial success.
There are some incredible shots of the English countryside, a great use of inserts and references to other forms of visual arts like projections and silent films. The transitions between scenes are particularly imaginative and enjoyable. It shows Copperfield finding his identity in relation to the people around him (through names) and uses British humour to look at the broken Victorian system.
This adaptation of the novel makes the literature accessible and representative of the audiences who are watching it now rather than sticking with the ‘traditional’ period style. Tilda Swinton proves once again that she can be a comedic actress, and Ben Whishaw as a villain and Jairaj Varsani as Patel’s younger counterpart are fantastic. It is possibly the most diverse cast of a period film that has ever been seen, even down to the extras and it is a wonderful thing to see.
‘The Personal History of David Copperfield’ is available to stream on Amazon Prime.
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