Sweeny Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham-Carter

a Tim Burton movie

2007


I really can't describe this movie with any justice. It's too good. It's also affecting. Can't explain.

Let me start by trying to say that my wife is a HUGE Johnny Depp fan. He could probably go on screen and pick his nose for two hours and she would talk endlessly about his brilliance. (Actually, that's not true . . . she loves him because she loves his acting, and if he ever did a part in which he sucked she would probably be inconsolable for days) - however, we, like Zanuck apparently, were withholding judgement until we saw him sing.

Which he can. Surprising, but he's excellent.

Tim Burton is a master of his craft. What I like most is that he has his distinctive style without ever simply repeating himself. Each of his works is definitely a Tim Burton film, but each is unique, and distinct. And I can't really say for sure until it's completely sunk in, but I think this film is the best that he and Depp have made together.

This is an excellent movie. You know that you are in the hands of master storytellers, in the middle of a fantastic story, which leaves you at the end feeling disturbed, uneasy, unquiet. As I said, this movie is "affecting." If it doesn't affect you, then quite frankly you have no soul.

I've heard reviews leading up to the release of the movie, mostly talking about how to classify this film (and the musical), but classification is not all that important. Let's us just say that this is grand theatre at its best: fantastic and perfect, without being pretentious.

The best commentary I heard about it was when NPR stated that Stephen Sondheim is famously critical of adaptations of his work, but that he stated that this film was "possibly the best rendition" of his musical.

I think that this movie is well worth the praise.

Wow.

Simply - wow!

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