Going to the theatre is one of those things I always say I should do more often but don’t for some reason.  “A Picture of Dorian Grey” is top of my list of plays I’d like to see as any Oscar Wilde novel is always both funny and thought provoking.  So when I went to see the latest film adaptation of this piece, directed by Oliver Parker, I went with hope in my heart but trepidation on my mind – would they be messing up a classic or telling a brilliant story through a contemporary medium?

A few years ago I saw another film adaptation, this one was part of the Gay and Lesbian film festival and was directed by Duncan Roy, you can see a trailer here.  I have to admit I wasn’t mad on this version which made me even more nervous about the current incarnation.

I’d have to say I was pleasantly surprised, Ben Barnes was excellent as Dorian Gray, he was both vulnerable and chaotic.  However the film is dominated by a wonderful performance from Colin Firth as the charismatic Lord Henry.  Henry turns Dorian into the man he was always to frightened to be, one who is interested only in a world of hedonistic pleasures and is not concerned with the consequences this has on the people around him, or indeed on his inner self.

Dorian’s friend Basil (Ben Foster) paints a portrait of him and Dorian soon discovers that while he remains young and handsome the picture ages and bares all the scares of his egocentric lifestyle.  At the heart of the piece is, of course, the question of what mark ones “sins” leaves on the soul.  Dorian eventually must face the reality of his lack of empathy and his selfishness.

The novel itself was published (in it’s final form) by Wilde in 1881 and was a classic horror.  The nature of the piece is not lost here and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t watch some scenes from behind by hands.  However, what is great about this version is that it never becomes silly and there are few special effects.  You really are drawn into Dorian’s world and almost feel sorry for him towards the end.

Needless to say there are some great one-liners but my favourite quotes are actually when Dorian screams “this is not my true face” and “I have seen my soul”, it’s those moments of the film that ask us to be introspective and they work very well.

I’d have to give this film the thumbs up but I’d still like to see this as a play one day.

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