Parents Television Council Reviews

PTC reviews aim to provide you with advance information about an entertainment offering so that you can be the final arbiter of what you and your family see.

Oliver Twist

By Kimberly Sielen

Release Date: September 30, 2005
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for disturbing images
Genre: Drama

Roman Polanski has wonderfully adapted Charles Dickens' classic novel Oliver Twist. Set in Victorian England, Oliver Twist is the story of a young orphan who has no true home. The movie begins with Oliver entering life at a workhouse for children. He soon gets into trouble for asking for more food than allotted, and is sent away as an apprentice to an undertaker, Mr. Sowerberry. He is treated kindly by his master; however the other servants (and Mr. Sowerberry's wife) take an instant disliking to him, and do everything in their power to make him miserable. He finally has had enough, and runs away to England, a seven day walk. Oliver instantly befriends Artful Dodger (called so for his pickpocketing skills), and is taken to Fagin, the leader of a group of street urchins.

Oliver's first experience as a pickpocket goes horribly wrong. He was frozen watching Dodger and another steal from men outside a bookshop, but when they fled he was chased and caught. For this, Oliver was taken to court, and saved in the nick of time by a witness -- the bookseller, Mr. Brownlow. He is kindly taken in, but after only a day of happiness is kidnapped by Nancy and Bill, friends of Fagin. They believe that Oliver will take the information about the true identity of the thieves to the police, and therefore must take him back to Fagin. Oliver struggles at first, but finally submits to his fate. In the meantime, Nancy has contacted Mr. Brownlow about Oliver, and events escalate, leading to three untimely deaths.

Oliver Twist contains a wide array of actions and behaviors which could be found offensive. First of all, the word "damn" is used five times, generally in the context of "damn you" or "damn you all." It is uttered four of these times by Bill Sykes, the foulest of the characters. Violence is a serious issue in several ways. The most minor being the pickpocket habits of Fagin and his group of boys. Dodger is the best at this, and that is how he earned his name. Several characters are beaten or attacked by others close to them. The most extreme instance of this is when Bill beats Nancy to death for trying to save Oliver, and her blood is seen pooling on the floor. Several times a gun is present, and used to threaten Oliver into submission. Oliver is then shot in the arm by Bill for attempting to foil a break-in at his kind guardian Mr. Brownlows' house. This climaxes into Bill's death, an accidental hanging while trying to keep Oliver away from the police. Overall, Oliver Twist is appropriate for children twelve and older; if they can read the book, they can watch the movie.

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