This film is a PG, was released on January 24th, 2020, and this review will contain NO SPOILERS
A Victorian man by the name of David Copperfield looks back on his life and all the things that happened as well as all the characters he encountered. I shamefully hadn't heard of David Copperfield until I saw the trailer for this film, considering it is the work of Charles Dickens. So, I wasn't going to see this because of any affection for the source material, but instead because it just looked funny. I laughed while watching the trailer and thought this would be a fun way to spend two hours, so I went in just hoping to have a good time.
Thankfully, the film is very entertaining. This wasn't surprising considering that the film is helmed by Armando Iannucci who is a comedic genius, but what did surprise me was the cast being as funny as they were. Of course, I know people like Peter Capaldi and Benedict Wong can deliver a cracking joke, but I hadn't seen Dev Patel, Tilda Swinton or Hugh Laurie in comedic roles like this before. So, it was very pleasant to have them all induce many smiles and laughs upon me as I sat through this. Beyond the humour, the characters are excellently executed. Dev Patel beings so much to the central role, he has so much charm and wit about him and is also extremely likeable. Peter Capaldi and Hugh Laurie don't just play similar-looking characters, but they're also equally enjoyable to watch, with Capaldi's Mr Micawber being appropriately over-the-top and Laurie's Mr Dick being cheerful yet mysterious. Everyone else does a great job too, and it is wonderful to see such a diverse cast in a film set in Victorian England. The other thing that is so wonderful about the film is that it is also very inspiring. As someone who writes their own stories, it was really fascinating to see the central character's really clever methods of writing, such as always thinking about how things are and jotting any thoughts down in the moment. I also admired how the film was structured like a book, with chapter headings and occasional narration. So, I got so much out of watching this film beyond just entertainment.
The only issue with the film is that it is a bit flippant in terms of tone. It goes back and forth between being dramatic and comedic quite often. It makes sense within the story and isn't a huge problem, but it is a little distracting, especially with certain moments that feel particularly out of place in the landscape of the rest of the film.
I wanted a good time, and I had a delightful time. The Personal History of David Copperfield has some terrific performances of very well executed characters in a story that, while it does have minor tonal issues, is enormously endearing and even inspiring at times. I think it's impossible to watch this without having the slightest smile on your face as it's just enjoyable from start to finish.
I'm going to give The Personal History of David Copperfield an 8.5/10
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