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Nicholas Nickleby

Nicholas Nickleby

Adventure · Drama · 2002

Nicholas Nickleby, a young boy in search of a better life, struggles to save his family and friends from the abusive exploitation of his coldheartedly grasping uncle.

Movie details

Nicholas Nickleby

“EVERY FAMILY NEEDS A HERO.”

2002 Adventure · Drama 2h 12m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.8 / 10

Community rating

Nicholas Nickleby, a young boy in search of a better life, struggles to save his family and friends from the abusive exploitation of his coldheartedly grasping uncle.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Nicholas Nickleby?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Douglas McGrath

Written by

Douglas McGrath

Charlie Hunnam

Charlie Hunnam

Nicholas Nickleby

Nathan Lane

Nathan Lane

Vincent Crummles

Jim Broadbent

Jim Broadbent

Mr. Wackford Squeers

Christopher Plummer

Christopher Plummer

Ralph Nickleby

Jamie Bell

Jamie Bell

Smike

Anne Hathaway

Anne Hathaway

Madeline Bray

Alan Cumming

Alan Cumming

Mr. Folair

Court is in session

Put Nicholas Nickleby on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Sentimental Softie

“Sincerity is not manipulation.”

The film risks embarrassment to make emotion communal, and that openness is harder than fashionable detachment.

The prosecution The Cool Ironist

“The strings are showing.”

Every cue tells you exactly what to feel and when, leaving sentiment to do the work character should have done.