OLIVER TWIST
A beautifully realized Dickens tale of grace, danger, and redemption.
Should You Watch It?
Yes—if your family includes older children or adults ready for a serious, sometimes painful drama. This is a beautifully realized version of Charles Dickens’ story, with excellent performances, strong production design, and a moral heart that contrasts Oliver’s goodness with the villainy around him.
The film does not soften the danger. Oliver is abused, drawn into criminal activity, and threatened by violent people. Nancy’s murder is especially disturbing, even though the beating happens off screen. Those scenes make this a poor choice for young children.
What makes the film worth seeing is its understanding of grace. Oliver’s forgiving heart, Mr. Brownlow’s kindness, and Nancy’s attempt to save him stand against both legalistic religion and lawlessness. For older children and adults, WORTH THE TRIP — OLDER CHILDREN AND UP.
The Story
NO SPOILERS — WE KEEP THE SURPRISESOliver is a poor orphan in Victorian England who suffers in a workhouse and an undertaker’s shop before running away to London. There, a boy called the Artful Dodger introduces him to Fagin, an elderly criminal who teaches young boys to pick pockets.
When Oliver is caught, a kindly gentleman takes him into his custody. But the criminals fear that Oliver may expose them, placing the gentle boy in increasing danger.
Is It Any Good?
Four stars means this is a top-quality, absorbing production with only minor shortcomings. The movie heightens the jeopardy surrounding Oliver and gives its emotional moments real force.
Barney Clark gives a marvelous performance as Oliver, especially in the film’s heartfelt prayerful climax. Ben Kingsley is amazing as Fagin, disappearing completely into the role. Roman Polanski skillfully depicts Oliver’s world, while the cinematography, sets, costumes, and makeup are wonderful.
The naturalistic style gives the story a realistic edge. The opening credits diminish the quality somewhat, and some viewers may feel the film cuts too much from Dickens’ novel or plays too safely with its characters. Still, it is well made and full of heart.
The Worldview
The film presents a strong moral worldview with positive references to God, forgiveness, prayer, repentance, and reformation. Oliver’s goodness stands against the criminality surrounding him, while Mr. Brownlow and Nancy embody kindness and sacrificial concern. The story rebukes both the harsh legalism of the workhouse and the lawlessness of the thieves.
The orphanage’s forced prayers and banners about God distort Christian faith by presenting it as stern, cold, and punitive. The movie’s strongest spiritual moment comes when Oliver pleads to God for mercy and forgiveness for someone who has tried to lead him astray. Grace is not earned by legalism or produced by rebellion; it is shown as gentle, God-given mercy.
The film’s central longing is for goodness and mercy to survive in a cruel world. Scripture says, “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32).
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Content Summary
Very strong moral worldview with positive references to God and forgiveness and a powerful appeal to praying a prayer of forgiveness, marred by legalistic Christian orphanage with forced prayers, and mean-spirited banners about God, and brief political correctness when mean-spirited, stingy woman makes a snide comment about being "liberal," thus implying that conservatives are like she is; four "d" words and a few old-style English sounding like "Gaw!" or "Gol!" which may be slang for the light profanity, "God!"; brief strong violence such as boys fight, man slaps woman, a few drops of blood splatter table as man beats woman to death off screen, pool of blood when a murder victim is discovered, man tries to drown dog, man falls in river, policemen fire pistols at murderer, boy shot in arm, bloody gash in boy's arm where he has been shot, people kidnap boy, villain threatens people with violence, man accidentally hangs himself, and references to public hangings; no sex scenes, but unmarried villain seems to live with girlfriend and couple in saloon in poverty-stricken area are seen hugging closely as they flirt; brief upper male nudity; alcohol use, including by some children during Victorian Age, and two or three brief scenes in saloon with drunken rowdy people; smoking pipes, including by some children; and, kidnapping, stealing, picking pockets, elderly man teaches boys to steal, attempted burglary, minor character is a henpecked husband, and weak clergyman in scene with officials who run workhouse.
Talk About It
Questions for the drive home, the dinner table, or the youth group.
The workhouse uses prayers and banners to present a harsh picture of God. What is the difference between religious legalism and genuine obedience to God?
Matthew 23:23 · Micah 6:8Oliver continues to show kindness and forgiveness despite the cruelty around him. How can you respond to wrongdoing without becoming cruel yourself?
Ephesians 4:32 · Romans 12:21Oliver pleads with God for mercy for someone who has done great evil. Why is forgiveness difficult, and why does Christianity still call us to forgive?
Matthew 6:14–15 · Colossians 3:13Nancy risks herself to help Oliver. What does sacrificial love look like in ordinary life?
John 15:13 · Philippians 2:3–4The Final Word
This is a moving, beautifully crafted Dickens adaptation with memorable performances and a clear belief in grace. Its violence and tragic circumstances make it unsuitable for young children, but older children and adults can find much to admire. WORTH THE TRIP — OLDER CHILDREN AND UP.
