Film Review: "The Personal History of David Copperfield" (2019).

"From rags to riches... and back again." This is The Personal History of David Copperfield. This comedy-drama film adapted and directed by Armando Iannucci, and based on the Victorian literary classic David Copperfield by Charles Dickens. Th film reimagines Dickens' iconic hero on his quirky journey from impoverished orphan to burgeoning writer in Victorian England.

In February 2018, it was announced that Iannucci would be co-adapting, co-producing, and directing a new adaptation of Dickens literary classic. The film marked the first theatrical film adaptation of Dickens' novel in fifty years. In March, Dev Patel was cast in the title role. By June, Tilda Swinton, Hugh Laurie, Peter Capaldi, Ben Whishaw, Paul Whitehouse, Aneurin Barnard, Benedict Wong, Gwendoline Christie, Sophie McShera, and Divian Ladwa rounded out the film's cast. At the same time, principal photography commenced, and wrapped in August. Filming took place throughout Buckinghamshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Yorkshire, and London, England.

The film stars Patel, Swinton, Laurie, Capaldi, Whishaw, Whitehouse, Barnard, Wong, Christie, McShera, and Ladwa. Patel leads the cast valiantly in what are sharp comedic performances all around. The performances from the cast have to be rated for their comic timing more than for historical nuance, and of the group, Beale stands out the most as he feels the walls of conspiracy closing in.

It may be cringe-worthy at times, what with its propensity for showing the world of poverty, wealth, and everything in between, but for those who like their parables to be challenging and salty, do not miss this exceptional film. It is a very funny comedy with an inspired cast that makes sure the political component will not dilute but neither monopolize the plot too much. It is a clever, intelligent bit of comedy, history played for laughs, that is a refreshingly change from the usual low humor comedies of recent years.

The narrative is no slack and there's always something happening that keeps us alert and grinning from ear to ear. This is humor at its finest. It shoots a taproot down to our deepest humanity, and it does so, ironically enough, by revealing the hellish sources of our own inhumanity. No joke is without a later payoff that mixes two or more things we've already laughed at together for another when you least expect it. As great as the ensemble is, the script is even better, easily making the film the best and funniest of 2019 thus far. The movie veers into slapstick territory at times, as Iannucci continually takes the spark of a true story and sets it on comic fire. Maybe the movie doesn't live up to the most lavish praise that's been heaped on it, but there's a certain grim pleasure to be had from seeing its knaves and fools stripped down to their essential, vulgar meanness. From start to finish, Iannucci delivers an audacious and insightful and ridiculous and hilarious send-up that reminded me of the classic Monty Python films of the 1970s and 1980s.

Simon says The Personal History of David Copperfield receives:

Also, see my review for The Death of Stalin.