Nicholas Nickleby (2002) Critic Reviews

A delightful experience.Read the full review

A rambunctious joy.Read the full review

The actors assembled for Nicholas Nickleby are not only well cast, but well typecast. Each one by physical appearance alone replaces a page or more of Dickens' descriptions, allowing McGrath to move smoothly and swiftly through the story without laborious introductions.Read the full review

At a little over two hours, this is a pared-down but no less essential Dickensian feast.Read the full review

This mid-19th century tale of survival after the death of a parent is still compelling today, and its message of strength and the importance of family continues to resonate.Read the full review

It's a generous tale, told through big performances by a talented cast, presenting a range of colorful characters that only Dickens could have created.Read the full review

Christopher Plummer steals the show without resorting to camp as Nicholas' wounded and wounding Uncle Ralph. It's a great performance and a reminder of Dickens' grandeur. This Cliff's Notes of a film, though lively fun, only hints at that.Read the full review

As a means to bring a classic novel to the attention of a modern audience, McGrath's Nicholas Nickleby is a success.Read the full review

The director has produced a colorful, affecting collage of Dickensian moods and motifs, a movie that elicits an overwhelming desire to plunge into 900 pages of 19th-century prose.Read the full review