Twist (film)

Twist
215px Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Jacob Tierney
Produced by	Victoria Hirst Dan Lyon Kevin Tierney
Written by	Jacob Tierney
Based on	Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
Starring	Nick Stahl Joshua Close
Music by	Ron Proulx
Cinematography	Gerald Packer
Edited by	Mitch Lackie
Distributed by	Christal Films (Canada) Strand Releasing
Release dates	September 7, 2003 (2003-09-07) (TIFF) May 21, 2004 (2004-05-21) (US)
Running time	97 minutes
Country	Canada
Language	English
Budget	$350,000
Box office	$47,370

Twist is a 2003 Canadian drama film and a retelling of Charles Dickens' classic, Oliver Twist.

Plot

The film is similar in some ways to Seth Michael Donsky's 1996 film Twisted made prior to Tierney's film.

As in Donsky's film, the plot of Oliver Twist is updated to the present day, and moved out of the London poor house onto the streets of a large North American city (in Donsky's film it was New York City, and this film it is Toronto). In addition, the tale is told not from Oliver's point of view, but rather that of Dodge (Nick Stahl). The prosaically beautiful Oliver (Joshua Close) falls into the hands of down-and-out young men. Dodge takes Oliver under his wing and instructs him in the unforgiving arts of drug abuse and prostitution. Oliver develops a crush on Dodge and views him as his boyfriend, complicating their friendship. Dodge does not reciprocate his feelings, and reacts angrily to Oliver's kisses and other signs of affection. As Oliver's innocence dissolves, both young men confront their demons, and ultimately it is Dodge who finds he cannot escape his past. Dodge is found by his abusive brother around the same time the young men's caretaker commits suicide, sending Dodge into a violent rage at the film's conclusion.

Cast

• Nick Stahl as Jimmy/Dodge
• Joshua Close as Oliver
• Gary Farmer as Fagin
• Michèle-Barbara Pelletier as Nancy
• Tygh Runyan as David
• Stephen McHattie as Benjamin/The Senator
• Moti Yona as Charley
• Brigid Tierney as Betsy
• Andre Noble as Adam
• Maxwell McCabe-Lokos as Noah
• Josh Holliday as Morris
• Dave Graham as Buck
• Mike Lobel as Bully

Reception

Twist currently holds a 16% 'Fresh' rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with the consensus "Despite of [sic] its contemporary setting and some strong performances, this is a bland retelling of Oliver Twist."

See also

• Oliver Twist
• Twisted, a 1997 Seth Michael Donsky similarly conceived film.
• Sugar, a 2004 film with a similar plot.

External links

• Twist at IMDb
• Twist at AllMovie
• Twist at Box Office Mojo
• Twist at Rotten Tomatoes