RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
Check out the new RT Community
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | In Theaters
  • | Opening
  • | Upcoming
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
  • | Showtimes
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / On DVD / Twist
Twist

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Get this Movie
  • Buy Poster External Icon
  • Visit Official Site External Icon
Bookmark and Share

Twist (2004)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
16 %
Tomatometer
Template ImageTemplate Image

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted:31

Fresh:5

Rotten:26

Average Rating:4.4/10

Consensus: Despite of its contemporary setting and some strong performances, this is a bland retelling of Oliver Twist.

Rated: Not Rated

Runtime: 1 hr 38 mins

Genre: Dramas

Theatrical Release:May 21, 2004 Limited

Synopsis: TWIST is a calmly lucid re-telling of Charles Dickens` classic Oliver Twist, updated to current times and moved out of the poor house and onto the streets of Toronto. Told from the point of view of... TWIST is a calmly lucid re-telling of Charles Dickens` classic Oliver Twist, updated to current times and moved out of the poor house and onto the streets of Toronto. Told from the point of view of The Artful Dodger (Dodge), TWIST is no longer a tale of the misfortunes of boys, but rather about the prosaically beautiful Oliver who falls into the hands of down-and-out young men. Dodge takes the young man under his wing and instructs him in the unforgiving arts of drug abuse and prostitution. As Oliver`s innocence dissolves, both young men confront inner and outer demons and, strangely, it is Dodge who finds he cannot escape his past. Faithful to the tragedy on which it is based, TWIST is about the creation of evil and the cyclical nature of violence that can keep even the bravest among us tangled in its web. Actor-turned-director/writer Jacob Tierney (The Neon Bible, This Is My Father), elicits exquisitely subtle performances from an ensemble cast featuring Nick Stahl (In the Bedroom, Terminator 3) and newcomer Joshua Close as the almost angelic Oliver. Although faithful to the social reformist impulse at the heart of Dickens` writing, TWIST translates the novel`s sorrow and fierce poignancy into starkly composed, beautifully cold images that will resonate with contemporary audiences. The film was a selection in both the Toronto International Film Festival and the Venice International Film Festival. -- © Strand Releasing [More]

Starring: Nick Stahl, Joshua Close, Gary Farmer, Stephen McHattie

Starring: Nick Stahl, Joshua Close, Gary Farmer, Stephen McHattie, Michele-Barbara Pelletier

Director: Jacob Tierney

Director: Jacob Tierney
Screenwriter: Jacob Tierney
Studio: Strand Releasing

[See More Credits]

Get This Movie

Rent DVD
 
 

Click on the "ADD" button to put this movie into your Netflix queue.

 
 
Buy DVD
 
 
Release:

Oct 19, 2004

No Details Exist
 
 

Reviews for Twist

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date)
Text View | 1 2 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
07/24/08
David Stratton
David Stratton
Variety
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Houston Chronicle | comment Comment
07/21/05
Houston Chronicle
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Filmcritic.com | comment Comment
11/07/04
Don Willmott
Don Willmott
Filmcritic.com

My memory may be a little vague on this one, but I don’t recall any incest scenes in the original Oliver Twist

Full Review Source: Filmcritic.com | comment Comment
11/04/04
Christopher Null
Christopher Null
Filmcritic.com

This would make Dickens suicidal, probably in more than one way.

Full Review Source: Planet Sick-Boy | comment Comment
10/19/04
Jon Popick
Jon Popick
Planet Sick-Boy

One of the glummest recent attempts to drag a classic story into the 21st century.

Full Review Source: Seattle Times | comment Comment
09/03/04
John Hartl
John Hartl
Seattle Times
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer | comment Comment
09/03/04
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

A surprisingly deep, dramatic twist on an old melodrama.

Full Review Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel | comment Comment
08/19/04
Laura Kelly
Laura Kelly
South Florida Sun-Sentinel

A joyless series of shooting-up scenes.

Full Review Source: Film Journal International | comment Comment
08/08/04
David Noh
David Noh
Film Journal International

Unrelenting in its tragedy, this movie should come with a major bummer warning or something to help you recover from the haunting images. The story is a little thin at times.

Full Review Source: TheMovieChicks.com | comment Comment
08/06/04
Cherryl Dawson and Leigh Ann Palone
Cherryl Dawson and Leigh Ann Palone
TheMovieChicks.com

The only thing funny about Twist is how seriously it takes its own pompous preposterousness.

Full Review Source: Dallas Morning News | comment Comment
08/05/04
Tom Maurstad
Tom Maurstad
Dallas Morning News
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Isn't without interest, but overall it's more an earnest attempt than a successful accomplishmrent.

Full Review Source: One Guy's Opinion | comment Comment
08/04/04
Frank Swietek
Frank Swietek
One Guy's Opinion

The movie's far too stagy and pretentious.

Full Review Source: Washington Post | comment Comment
07/30/04
Desson Thomson
Desson Thomson
Washington Post
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Cuaron ran into trouble by being overly faithful to Dickens' story, changing almost nothing except the setting.

Full Review Source: San Francisco Chronicle | comment Comment
07/23/04
Ruthe Stein
Ruthe Stein
San Francisco Chronicle
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

There's nothing here a handful of show-stopping production numbers--or a good steam cleaning--couldn't fix.

Full Review Source: Movie Boeuf | comment Comment
07/16/04
David N. Butterworth
David N. Butterworth
Movie Boeuf

Apart from the somewhat novel conceit of turning Dickens into the stuff of a Gus Van Sant picture (see My Own Private Idaho), there's nothing original, nor compelling, about Twist.

Full Review Source: Philadelphia Inquirer | comment Comment
07/08/04
Steven Rea
Steven Rea
Philadelphia Inquirer
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Ultimately more unsavory than enlightening, and would have benefited from a more humorous approach to its purloined themes.

Full Review Source: Hollywood Reporter | comment Comment
06/22/04
Frank Scheck
Frank Scheck
Hollywood Reporter
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

transforming the ending into a more realistic outcome doesn't make this provocative arthouse fare

Full Review Source: ToxicUniverse.com | comment Comment
06/18/04
John A. Nesbit
John A. Nesbit
ToxicUniverse.com

Exceptional performances and effective raw moments, but too sordid for enjoyment.

Full Review Source: Sympatico.ca | comment Comment
06/07/04
Angela Baldassarre
Angela Baldassarre
Sympatico.ca

Not much happens in Twist, apart from a dismal series of personal degradations, each more depressing than the last.

Full Review Source: Toronto Star | comment Comment
06/04/04
Peter Howell
Peter Howell
Toronto Star
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date)
Text View | 1 2 >> >|
See All

More DVDs

Close
Top Rentals
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
45% 45% Ice Age: Dawn of the D…
19% 19% Transformers: Revenge …
55% 55% Orphan
43% 43% The Proposal
26% 26% Land of the Lost

More Rentals…

New On DVD This Week
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
98% 98% Up
88% 88% Ballast
67% 67% The Merry Gentleman
56% 56% Enlighten Up!
13% 13% Spread

More New Releases…

See All

RT On Current TV

The Rotten Tomatoes Show on Current TV

DIRECTV 358 | Comcast 107 | DISH Network 196 | More...

Learn how you can be part of the show

More...

What’s Hot On RT

60+ New Moon pics

60+ New Moon pics

You want Twilight images? We got 'em!

Transylmania

Transylmania

Cheeky trailer for the vampire comedy!

John Cusack

John Cusack

We list his 10 top rated movies!

Salt trailer

Salt trailer

Angelina Jolie! Espionage! Check it out!

Other News

Close
  • Top Stories
  • Popular
  • Interviews
 
 

Comments

 
 
Top Stories
Headlines Comments
  
  • Rachel McAdams Rumored for Spider-Man 4 Source: Mania.com
118
  • Danny Elfman Leaves The Wolfman Source: Cinemusic.net
21
  • Oldboy Remake Rumored Dead Source: Latino Review
12
  • Francis Lawrence Directing a Futuristic Sgt. Rock Source: Hollywood Reporter
2
  • Can Avatar Make Money? Source: New York Times
93
  • Robert Pattinson Says Breaking Dawn Could Roll in Fall 2010 Source: Collider.com
26
  • Joe Johnston Talks The Wolfman Source: Ain't It Cool News
8
  • Jason Schwartzman Talks Scott Pilgrim Source: Collider.com
0
  • Weekly Ketchup: Abrams eyes Micronauts, Aykroyd as Yogi Bear
99
  • J.J. Abrams Producing Micronauts Movie? Source: Wall Street Journal
11
Popular
Headlines Comments
  
  • Critics Consensus: A Christmas Carol Dazzles But Disappoints
43
  • Ho-ho-horror! 10 Scary Christmas Movies
36
  • RT on DVD: Up, the Ultimate Watchmen Cut, and More
35
  • Weekly Ketchup: Abrams eyes Micronauts, Aykroyd as Yogi Bear
33
  • Box Office Guru Wrapup: Christmas Carol Tops, Precious Rocks
32
  • Total Recall: John Cusack's Best Movies
29
  • Friday Harvest: Prince of Persia, The Road, and more!
26
  • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
14
  • Five Favorite Films with Roland Emmerich
1
Interviews
Headlines Comments
  
  • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
14
  • Terry Gilliam Talks Doctor Parnassus
15
  • Wes Anderson Talks Fantastic Mr. Fox - RT Interview
8
  • Wolverine Creator Len Wein Talks About the Film
28
  • Gavin Hood Talks Wolverine; Possible Sequel
28
  • Duncan Jones talks Moon, Sam Rockwell, and Mute
14
  • Emma Stone talks Zombieland - RT Interview
40
  • Michael Moore: The RT Interview
139
  • Andrea Arnold talks Fish Tank - RT Interview
4
  • Neill Blomkamp talks District 9 - RT Interview
51
 
 

Sponsored Links

Around The Network

  • Twist at Rotten Tomatoes
  • Twist at AskMen

Fresh Links

Featured
Worst Movie Biopics
Worst Movie Biopics External Link

Moviefone brings us 9 failed attempts at biographical films.

Top Cameron Crowe Moments
Top Cameron Crowe Moments External Link

TIME reminisces on the 10 most iconic moments from the films of Cameron Crowe.

November Films
November Films External Link

BuzzSugar wants to know which movies coming out this month you're most looking forward to.

The New Cult Canon
The New Cult Canon External Link

The AV Club takes a look back at Hedwig and the Angry Inch.

 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Games| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo

IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.