Overall, this film is very good. The book is just great, and while not my favourite book by Charles Dickens it is an engrossing read with vivid characters. What stuck out for me was the film's beautiful period detail and production values. As to be expected, the cinematography is very nice, while the costumes and scenery are just gorgeous. The music is lovely too and captures every mood of every scene perfectly. The story is still engrossing, the characters are still interesting and the pace is fine. Also the direction is nicely done. The writing occasionally jars particularly with Anne Hathaway's character, but overall the film is well written particularly with Uncle Ralph and Mr Squeers. The acting on the whole is very good. Charlie Hunnam is likable enough in the lead, while both Jim Broadbent and Christopher Plummer are just marvellous and Tom Courtenay is both humorous and heart wrenching. For me, only Anne Hathaway disappointed. She is a lovely and appealing actress, but she does have some of the film's worst dialogue which she didn't quite try to give some oomph to, and I also thought she was a little too modern. In conclusion, it is a very good film. 8/10 Bethany Cox

I saw the trailer for this film, based on a story by Charles Dickens, at the cinema, and with many great names in the cast I was quite keen to see it. Basically the Nickleby family enjoy a comfortable life, until the death of the father (Andrew Havill),leaving them penniless and forcing the children to travel to London to get help from uncle Ralph (Christopher Plummer). He is only interested in separating the family, and with an immediate dislike for his nephew Nicholas, he sends him to work for the sadistic northern England boys' school owner Wackford Squeers (Jim Broadbent). While Ralph is using Nicholas's grown up sister Kate (Romola Garai) to get investors on side, also grown up, Nicholas Nickleby (Charlie Hunnam) teaches the children, but leaves after a massive disagreement of opinion concerning discipline and punishment with Squeers, and he takes young crippled Smike (Billy Elliot's Jamie Bell) with him. Smike does not have any memory of his life before Dotheboys' Hall, but he proves a good friend and ally to Nicholas, as they travel back to London to bring the Nickleby family back together. On their way however they meet Vincent Crummles (Nathan Lane),his "wife Mrs. Crummles, or Mr. Leadville (Barry Humphries, aka Dame Edna Everage) and their acting troupe and join them performing for a while. I don't remember much else after this, only that with the help of Ralph's friendly secretary Newman Noggs (Tom Courtenay),Nicholas and Kate reunite and go against their uncle, ultimately rising over adversity. Also starring Edward Fox as Sir Mulberry Hawk, Juliet Stevenson as Mrs. Squeers, Timothy Spall as Charles Cheeryble, Alan Cumming as Mr. Folair, Anne Hathaway as Madeline Bray, Gerard Horan as Ned Cheeryble, Kevin McKidd as John Browdie, Nicholas Rowe as Lord Verisopht, Sophie Thompson as Miss Lacreevy, Stella Gonet as Mrs. Nickleby, Philip 'Phil' Davis as Brooker, Harry Potter's David Bradley as Nigel Bray and Heather Goldenhersh as Fanny Squeers. I will be honest and say it was the cast more than anything that interested me, also I did not pay the fullest attention I could of to the story, but for what I did, it is I suppose a pretty good period drama. It was nominated the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy. Worth watching!

Charles Dickens classic Nicholas Nickleby gets a fine remake in this 2002 version with Charles Hunnam in the title role. Definitely the prettiest Nickleby you'll find in any version. I would expect nothing less from a star in Queer As Folk. He and Anne Hathaway certainly make an attractive pair of lovers.

In fact though Hunnam's very bisexual appeal gives an added dimension to this version. The relationship with young Smike played tenderly and touchingly by Jamie Bell is what drives this particular story. The best scene in the film is the death scene of the crippled and sickly Smike with Jamie Bell giving so far a career role performance.

Hunnam's antagonist throughout the film is his Uncle Ralph played by Christopher Plummer. He's the rich older brother of Hunnam and Romola Garai's father who makes out like he's interested in their welfare. In fact he sends young Nicholas to a cruel school run by Jim Broadbent and his wife Juliet Stevenson. As for Garai he essentially uses her as a come on to rich and dissolute minor nobility so they'll invest with his brokerage house.

After giving Broadbent a well deserved thrashing Nicholas escapes the school with the crippled and sickly Bell. There is definitely a very homoerotic tinge to their relationship in their scenes together. In his short life Bell has experienced nothing but cruelty. Basically he falls in love with the first person who has shown him kindness and the fact that Hunnam is one beautiful twink is a bonus. All their scenes are beautifully played and will move you to tears.

As for the end, let's say a lot of Plummer's sins come back to haunt him in the end and the Nickleby name is no longer disgraced. This is a wonderful version of the Dickens classic with an outstanding performance by Jamie Bell.