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6.1/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.1/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. The Old Curiosity Shop remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Honestly? Probably not. If you are a die-hard Dickens fan who needs to see every single adaptation ever made, sure, go ahead. Everyone else will probably be bored to tears by the second act.
It feels like a relic. And not the cool, 'this belongs in a museum' kind of relic. More like the dusty, forgotten box in the attic you didn't mean to open.
The whole thing has this weirdly flat look. Everything feels like a stage play that someone accidentally filmed with a camera. The sets are so obviously sets that I spent half the time looking at the edges of the walls instead of the actors.
There is this one scene where the grandfather is just staring at some trinkets. It goes on for an eternity. I checked my phone twice. I think I did laundry in my head while he was still looking at a teapot.
It starts slow and then just… stays there. It’s like a train that never leaves the station. If you liked the slow burn of The Son of Democracy, maybe you'll find something here, but I just found myself wanting the characters to move faster.
Actually, they do run away, but it feels like they’re running through molasses. Every interaction is so polite, so staged. It lacks that grit you want when someone is losing their home.
It’s not as chaotic as Trouble Busters, thank god. But it lacks a certain spark. It’s just very, very proper. Sometimes, you just want a movie to be a bit messy, you know? This one is too tidy.
I caught myself thinking about other films, like The Little Girl That He Forgot, and how they managed to make the 'sad child' trope actually hit home. Here? It just feels like a checklist of sad moments. Tick, tick, tick.
It’s a strange little artifact. If you're into historical curiosity, maybe have it on in the background while you fold clothes. Just don't expect it to change your life. 🕰️
