Ben Barnes plays Dorian Gray as a man who trades his soul for eternal youth, and the trade comes with a price the film never fully pays off. Oliver Parker directs Toby Finlay’s screenplay, and the result is a film that promises dread but delivers mostly mood. It is a handsome failure, and it knows it.
Trailer, via Rotten Tomatoes Classic Trailers.
Barnes and Firth Carry the Weight
Barnes sells the early Dorian well. He is a pretty young man caught between curiosity and terror, and his performance carries the film’s first hour. Colin Firth plays Lord Henry Wotton as a smooth, dangerous presence, and their scenes together are the film’s best. The chemistry between them is real, and it is the one reason to sit through the slower stretches.
Rebecca Hall appears as Emily Wotton, and Emilia Fox plays Lady Victoria Wotton. Ben Chaplin shows up as Basil Hallward, the painter who captures Dorian’s beauty. Fiona Shaw plays Agatha, and Caroline Goodall plays Lady Radly. Maryam D’Abo plays Gladys, and Douglas Henshall plays Alan Campbell. Rachel Hurd-Wood plays Sibyl Vane, and Max Irons plays Lucius.
The Portrait’s Defects
The portrait itself is the film’s engine. It is supposed to age and decay while Dorian stays young, and his sins show up as defects on the canvas. That idea is simple and effective. What is not effective is the way the film handles the consequences. Dorian’s killings, his lies, and his betrayals are shown, but the portrait barely reacts to them. The film promises a mirror of corruption, and it hands the audience a still life instead.
The Sibyl Vane Story
Sibyl Vane is the tragedy at the center of the novel, and the film treats her badly. She falls in love with Dorian, and he leaves her after a visit to a brothel. She drowns herself, and her brother Jim reveals she was pregnant with Dorian’s child. Jim attempts to strangle Dorian before being dragged away. This is the film’s chance to land its moral weight, and it fails to deliver anything more than a shrug.
“Forever Young. Forever Cursed.”
The Attic Scene
When Dorian finally shows Basil the portrait, the moment should be terrible. Instead, it feels rushed. Basil is killed, and his body is dumped in the River Thames. The remains are recovered and buried. The film moves past this scene quickly, and the horror promised by the setup never arrives.
The Return to London
Twenty-five years pass, and Dorian returns to London. He looks the same, and everyone stares. Henry’s daughter Emily becomes fascinated with him, much to her father’s disapproval. Dorian’s memory of Sibyl resurfaces, and he feels remorse. He tries to distance himself from Emily, but he cannot resist her. This is the closest the film gets to a climax, and it ends on a note of exhaustion rather than dread.
A Flawed Adaptation
The film is faithful to the shape of Wilde’s novel, but it lacks the bite. The performances are strong, especially Barnes and Firth, but the script never gives them enough to work with. The portrait’s defects are shown rarely, and the film spends too much time on Dorian’s parties and too little on the cost of his bargain. It is a film about a man who trades his soul for youth, and it forgets to show the soul getting traded.
Key Facts Box
- Director: Oliver Parker
- Writer: Toby Finlay
- Runtime: 112 minutes
- Genre: Fantasy, Drama, Thriller
- Release date: 9 September 2009 (UK)
- Distributor: Momentum Pictures
The film is a handsome failure, and it knows it. Barnes and Firth are excellent, but the portrait never becomes the monster it should be.
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