The Personal History of David Copperfield

Name: The Personal History of David Copperfield
Genre: Drama, Comedy
Released: August 28, 2020
Duration: 119 min
Rating: 77
Cast: Albie Atkinson, Aneurin Barnard, Anna Maxwell-Martin, Ben Whishaw, Benedict Wong

2020

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 39 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 59 Ratings

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4.9

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4.9	User Score Mixed or average reviews based on 59 Ratings

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The Personal History Of David Copperfield: This Is A Remarkable Day

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Movie Details & Credits

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures | Release Date: August 28, 2020 | PG

Starring: Albie Atkinson, Aneurin Barnard, Anna Maxwell-Martin, Ben Whishaw, Benedict Wong, Dev Patel, Fisayo Akinade, Gwendoline Christie, Hugh Laurie, Morfydd Clark, Nigel Betts, Nikki Amuka Bird, Peter Capaldi, Rosalind Eleazar, Sophie McShera, Tilda Swinton, Tuwaine Barrett

Summary: The Personal History of David Copperfield re-imagines Charles Dickens’ classic ode to grit and perseverance through the comedic lens of its award-winning filmmakers— giving the Dickensian tale new life for a cosmopolitan age with a diverse ensemble cast of stage and screen actors from across the world. Armando Iannucci and Simon BlackwellThe Personal History of David Copperfield re-imagines Charles Dickens’ classic ode to grit and perseverance through the comedic lens of its award-winning filmmakers— giving the Dickensian tale new life for a cosmopolitan age with a diverse ensemble cast of stage and screen actors from across the world. Armando Iannucci and Simon Blackwell lend their wry, yet heart-filled storytelling style to revisiting Dickens’ iconic hero on his quirky journey from impoverished orphan to burgeoning writer in Victorian England. [Searchlight Pictures]… Expand

Director: Armando Iannucci

Genre(s): Drama, Comedy

Rating: PG

Runtime: 119 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Jeannette Catsoulis

Aug 27, 2020

Restructuring some story arcs and jettisoning others, Iannucci and his collaborator, Simon Blackwell, have created a souped-up, trimmed-down adaptation so fleet and entertaining that its cleverness doesn’t immediately register. Read full review

100

Donald Clarke

Jan 22, 2020

Against the odds, Iannucci has delivered a minor miracle. Somehow or other, he has managed to touch all familiar elements over 119 consistently delicious minutes without allowing the slightest whiff of compromise. Read full review

John DeFore

Sep 10, 2019

Armando Iannucci's The Personal History of David Copperfield turns the author's well-loved autobiographical epic into a fast-moving yarn, sometimes hilarious and always entertaining. Read full review

Peter Debruge

Sep 10, 2019

Iannucci’s The Personal History of David Copperfield comes across as a bright and jaunty corrective to the dour and stuffy Dickens adaptations that have come before. Read full review

Cary Darling

Sep 3, 2020

It all makes for a very different type of summer-movie experience, one far removed from superheroes and special effects. Best of all, you need not have read a word of Dickens to be captivated by the world that Iannucci has created. Read full review

Steve Pond

Sep 10, 2019

Iannucci has fun with the classic serial-turned-novel and throws in a bit of defiant color-blind casting for kicks, but it takes some getting used to a gentler, less biting Iannucci. Read full review

Joe Morgenstern

Aug 27, 2020

Truth be told, though, the film, which Mr. Iannucci directed from a screenplay he wrote with Simon Blackwell, is blissed out on its own cleverness and ultimately exhausting. Read full review

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User Reviews

twall3

Sep 7, 2020

As a writer myself, the film provided a fascinating perspective. It created inventive ways to portray how a writer sees the world and captures the inspiration that life provides. Hugh Laurie infused terrific humor into the experience. Tilda Swinton's character was lovable and well-played.As a writer myself, the film provided a fascinating perspective. It created inventive ways to portray how a writer sees the world and captures the inspiration that life provides. Hugh Laurie infused terrific humor into the experience. Tilda Swinton's character was lovable and well-played. Dev Patel was a sympathetic likeable lead. Overall, the film had a play-like quality but at the same time provided some beautiful cinematography which an actual play cannot do. A quirky, clean, artsy period piece that won't be for everyone, but if the trailer appeals to you, you won't likely be disappointed.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

amontillado

Sep 5, 2020

This is a wonderful take on Dickens, demonstrating a true love of the characters and of Dickens. While some of the critic reviews and user reviews note the comedic touches in the film, this is by no means a comedy. Instead, it is a drama, but not one wallowing in pain and suffering. More, itThis is a wonderful take on Dickens, demonstrating a true love of the characters and of Dickens. While some of the critic reviews and user reviews note the comedic touches in the film, this is by no means a comedy. Instead, it is a drama, but not one wallowing in pain and suffering. More, it is that despite the circumstances, Dickens's characters find a way to be bright when faced with cruel circumstances, and that is the heart of the movie.

Iannucci does a very fresh take on this novel, vibrant and colorful. Motifs are introduced and are carried through to the very end. Fellini's 8 1/2 did a fairly good job of capturing stream-of-consciousness, but Iannucci has done one better I feel. He captures that sense of wonderment and thoughts colliding into one another as a child, and then, even in adulthood, the pace of life continues to jump forward, progressing from event to event. Iannucci's directing and his editors, cinematographers, do a splendid job of pulling this off, thanks in no small part to Dickens's deft writing

Also fascinating, how the vibrance and wonderment do not paint over or mask the darkness underneath. Vibrance and wonderment seem to be how the characters push back against being crushed underneath the weight of industrial England. This is brought off by the actors and the designers seemingly working off of one another. That is, the clothing and the sets are extensions of the characters inhabiting them and are just as telling as their lines. Dev Patel does a wonderful job of portraying a person working past pain, of someone totally a part of their world and yet, at the same time, thankfully apart. He's not alone, in fact, the whole cast have their moments to shine and the cream of British acting talent is on full display here.

Why an 8 and not a 10? The film is clearly a love letter to Dickens. Not only does the director do a wonderful job of streamlining a sprawling novel, never was there a feeling that some fat needed to be trimmed. Iannucci deftly threads the needle bringing so many strands nicely and neatly together at the end. Perhaps, it is that there were times when the film was too giddy, when the shifts between light and dark are so swift that you're unsure whether to laugh or not. That may be the point. It is a film that doesn't want to hide the truth of each character's situation but at the same time, it doesn't want the audience (or the characters) to be miserable. So, expect an unexpected film, a drama that doesn't wallow in misery, but neither is it a comedy. Expect a lot of love and affection, but nothing hidden. I just saw the movie last night and frankly, I'm still turning bits and pieces over in the head, since it is not exactly a drama nor a comedy. This has a similar feel to "Big Fish" or the Keira Knightly "Pride and Prejudice"(2002), so if that is your kind of movie, then this is for you. If you're interested in this due to Iannucci's "Death of Stalin," the vibrance is all there, but unlike "Death of Stalin," which was all about the absurdity of Stalin communism, this film touches upon the cruelty of industrialising England, but turns out to be more about the characters finding their way to thrive in such circumstances. This is not "Death of Copperfield," a skewering of early 19th century industrial England; instead, it is a very well done BBC adaptation. So, if you're in the mood for a drama that doesn't hit hard but has hoped laced throughout, then you're in for a good time.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

moviemitch96

Aug 29, 2020

This film, based off the novel 'David Copperfield' by Charles Dickens, chronicles the story of David Copperfield, a young British orphan growing up in Victorian era England and persisting through several trials and hardships throughout his life. The greatest thing on display here isThis film, based off the novel 'David Copperfield' by Charles Dickens, chronicles the story of David Copperfield, a young British orphan growing up in Victorian era England and persisting through several trials and hardships throughout his life. The greatest thing on display here is definitely the actors and their performances. Dev Patel brings just the right amount of charm and wit to the titular character, and supporting turns from Hugh Laurie, Tilda Swinton, and Ben Whishaw to name a few keep things relatively fun. Storywise, the film does seem to bounce around quite a bit and it had a hard time staying consistent, and it does seem to drag on a bit in parts, but there's just enough humor and charm to go around that it doesn't become too tiresome. Overall, it's a perfectly fine period piece that sure to please due to its feel-good story and enjoyable performances.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

theredsky

Sep 7, 2020

The Personal History of David Copperfield: A film that was ultimately too boring at points for me to care about the characters. All the performances here are good but I really enjoyed the performances from Peter Capaldi and Tilda Swinton. Maybe I’m biased because I love them both but theirThe Personal History of David Copperfield: A film that was ultimately too boring at points for me to care about the characters. All the performances here are good but I really enjoyed the performances from Peter Capaldi and Tilda Swinton. Maybe I’m biased because I love them both but their presence on screen always brought a smile to my face. Other than them, I was really disinterested in everybody else including the main character. I’ve only seen one of this Director’s other films and he made the characters in the that film (The Death of Stalin) much more interesting so I don’t know what happened here. Maybe this Dickens story just isn’t interesting enough for the big screen. That’s not to say there weren’t other elements I enjoyed though. I thought the production design, costumes, and cinematography were all excellent and the writing wasn’t half bad. That’s what I will remember this film. Not the story. The score was fine but it felt too over dramatic at points. Check this film out if you like the original story or this Director (Armando Iannucci) or actors.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

tibzoid

Dec 27, 2020

Overly mannered and self-aware. Some clever staging early on but as the mugging to the camera builds, so does the viewer’s annoyance.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

jffryds

Sep 6, 2020

Why are so many movies allowed to ramrod their multicultral tokenism into classically Aryan themes? Of course an Italian pretending to be Scottish should have been the first clue.

5 of 10 users found this helpful55

marioinspace

Oct 14, 2020

This adaptation is a complete mess. It's slow, but also jarring at times because characters aren't sufficiently developed and the plot threads don't connect. The casting is odd and there's no attempt to recreate the look or feel of the period accurately. There's an embarrassingly forcedThis adaptation is a complete mess. It's slow, but also jarring at times because characters aren't sufficiently developed and the plot threads don't connect. The casting is odd and there's no attempt to recreate the look or feel of the period accurately. There's an embarrassingly forced sense of whimsy at times, and a type of deliberate, adolescent weirdness which fails to amuse. At the end, I was bored and wished I'd spent the time actually reading Dickens instead.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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