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Nick Stahl, Joshua Close, Gary Farmer, Michele-Barbara Pelletier, Stephen McHattie ... see more see more... , Tygh Runyan , Brigid Tierney , Moti Yona , James Gilpin , Josh Holliday , Andre Noble , Dave Graham

After countless faithful translations to the big screen -- not to mention one timeless, Oscar-winning musical version -- Charles Dickens' tale of downtrodden London youth is given a gritty, contempora... read more read more...ry spin in this independent Canadian production. This time told from the point of view of the Artful Dodger, Twist transposes the story of Oliver Twist to modern-day Toronto, where Dodge (Nick Stahl) is a smack-addicted male hustler working the streets when he comes across foster-home runaway Oliver (Joshua Close). The two strike up a fast friendship and Dodge makes the boy his apprentice, introducing him to a world of drugs, prostitution, and squalid, rent-free living, overseen by the formidable pimp Fagin (Gary Farmer). But Oliver finds his loyalties torn between his nascent attraction to Dodge and his son-like affection for Nancy (Michèle-Barbara Pelletier), the girlfriend of and pusher for the powerful drug dealer Bill Sykes. Written and directed by former child actor Jacob Tierney (The Neon Bible), Twist first made its appearance on the festival scene at the 2003 Venice and Toronto fests. ~ Michael Hastings, Rovi

Flixster Users

52% liked it

1,439 ratings

Critics

16% liked it

31 critics

R, 1 hr. 37 min.

Directed by: Jacob Tierney

Release Date: June 4, 2004

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DVD Release Date: October 19, 2004

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Flixster Reviews (99)

  • RCCLBC
    August 7, 2009
    RCCLBC
    A very interesting modern "twist" on the Dickens classic.
    Very dark, very emotional and (best of all) no precocious children.
    Not without it's flaws, but all in all a decent production.
  • carrrrrlows
    September 24, 2007
    carrrrrlows
    yo'ull either love or hate this movie, it has amazing visual style i got to say, the dialogue is really goo. The retelling is pretty original too. I never thought I'd like it but i did.

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Critic Reviews

Tom Maurstad
August 5, 2004
Tom Maurstad, Dallas Morning News

The only thing funny about Twist is how seriously it takes its own pompous preposterousness. Full Review

Desson Thomson
July 30, 2004
Desson Thomson, Washington Post

The movie's far too stagy and pretentious. Full Review

Ruthe Stein
July 23, 2004
Ruthe Stein, San Francisco Chronicle

Cuaron ran into trouble by being overly faithful to Dickens' story, changing almost nothing except the setting. Full Review

Steven Rea
July 8, 2004
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer

Apart from the somewhat novel conceit of turning Dickens into the stuff of a Gus Van Sant picture (see My Own Private Idaho), there's nothing original, nor compelling, about Twist.

Frank Scheck
June 22, 2004
Frank Scheck, Hollywood Reporter

Ultimately more unsavory than enlightening, and would have benefited from a more humorous approach to its purloined themes.

Peter Howell
June 4, 2004
Peter Howell, Toronto Star

Not much happens in Twist, apart from a dismal series of personal degradations, each more depressing than the last. Full Review

Rick Groen
June 4, 2004
Rick Groen, Globe and Mail

Stahl is definitely one to watch closely -- he's the real deal. But the emerging plot isn't. Full Review

Kevin Thomas
June 3, 2004
Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times

Decidedly dark but consistently engaging. Full Review

Richard Roeper
May 24, 2004
Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper

Twist tries to be creative and profound, but I think it fails miserably. Full Review

Jonathan Foreman
May 21, 2004
Jonathan Foreman, New York Post

More tedious than affecting, the film feels like an excuse for reproducing more of the kind of kinky imagery notoriously employed by fashion photographer Steven Meisel in his creepy pedophile advertis...

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Twist Trivia

  • In the movie Ferris Buellers day off, Ferris is in a parade, aboard a float. Ferris is lip singing to a Beatles song. Which beatles hit was it?   Answer »
  • Which director links the movies "Rosemary's Baby", "Repulsion", "The Ninth Gate", "Oliver Twist" and "Chinatown"?  Answer »
  • Who sang Twist and Shout from the Ferris Bueller?s Day Off soundtrack?  Answer »
  • In Pulp fiction, What sort of Dance compertition was Famous at Jack Rabbit Slims ?  Answer »
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