DreamWorks and Warner Bros. Pictures with Zanuck Company Productions and Tim Burton Films present an R rated film directed by Tim Burton and starring Johnny Depp (Benjamin Barker aka: Sweeney Todd), Helena Bonham Carter (Mrs. Lovett), Alan Rickman (Judge Turpin), Timothy Spall (Beadle Bamford), Sacha Baron Cohen (Signor Adolfo Pirelli), Jamie Campbell Bower (Anthony Hope), Laura Michelle Kelly (Lucy aka: Beggar), Jayne Wisener (Johanna) and Ed Sanders (Toby) along with a cast of extras, roaches, rats and a surprising lack of cats!
As this brilliant yet dark film opened, I knew I was truly in for a Tim Burton treat filled with a number of tricks that only this director can scream up. Right in conjunction with his other films like "Edward Scissorhands" and "A Nightmare Before Christmas" this film version of the popular play was dramatic, criminal and thrilling.
Set in London, the story is mostly predictable, sometimes leaving the actors lines hard to follow due to the their accents and singing but none the less entertaining, well directed with a few editing bloopers, superb acting accompanied by a fantastic score fitting to each well and deserving written scene.
Benjamin Barker, a young inspiring barber, married to a beautiful woman, Lucy, father of a gorgeous infant daughter, is wrongfully put in prison for the act of being "foolish". Actually, the town Judge incarcerates Benjamin because he was secretly admiring his yellow haired wife, Lucy. With Benjamin out of the way, Judge Turpin seduces Lucy, causing her to take poison in an attempt to end her life. This act of desperation by Lucy results in the evil malicious Judge raising their infant daughter, Johanna.
Fifteen years later with the help of a sailor, Anthony Hope, Benjamin returns to London as Sweeney Todd, out to find his family and seek revenge on the Judge and his assailants, one in particular, Beadle. He meets Mrs. Lovett who not only owns the local meat pie business, crawling with roaches yet mysteriously lacking felines, but also his old apartment soon to be his new barber shop on Fleet Street. A friendship is forged by the two with hints of affection by her and contempt by him. When he moves into his old but new dwelling he is introduced by Mrs. Lovett to yet another friend, one that at last makes his arm complete again, his silver razors.
Anthony, Todd's sailor friend, while strolling along the London town takes fancy to young woman singing in a window by the name of Johanna. But under the watchful evil eye of the Judge, he threatens Anthony to not look at her let alone make any contact. Eventually causing her demise to Foggs Asylum and Anthony on a quest to rescue her, not knowing she is Todd's only child. Yet on the other side of town, Todd is participating in a shave off with Pirelli, a flamboyant fake who eventually falls victim to Todd's razor skills, leaving his child assistant, Toby, to work with Mrs. Lovett. Fate has a way of coming full circle in many moments of this musical driven ensemble whether by the act of murder or the observance of truth.
Todd, is focused on one main victim, the Judge. Albeit along the way to his trophy kill he with the help of Lovett devises a plan to kill others in turn boosting her business by now selling priest pies, poet pies and squire pies, to name a few. Since meat is so expensive, and cats are few, what better way to expose of Todd's murderous killing spree than grinding up a more lucrative and tasty business plan. Overall, creating less townspeople but more pies.
In the end and after the massive and horrific bloodshed, justice is served at the hand of a young boy whose own fate was almost lost due to the demons that escaped from his own musical lips. As the saying goes, beggars can't be choosers even when you recognize the past, sometimes though too late for anyone's own continuing future prospects. In a hint of a moment like that from a scene of "Romeo and Juliet" the main characters fired up with rage and bitter sweet emotions merge into a climatic and deceiving yet somewhat predictable ending.
Depp was excellent adding yet another notch to his success belt and a wise choice by Burton to lead this dark, musical masterpiece. Carter, was superb and added a sense of levity to her costumed dressed, corpse like character. Cohen, not a far fetch from his "Borat" days was deserving to his kill while projecting a snide blackmailing threat to the story line. Rickman, played the perfect villain along with his pathetic side kick, skillfully acted by Spall. As for the youngest of the characters, Hope, sufficiently played by Bower, Johanna, by Wisener and Toby, an up and comer to watch played by Sanders, all did justice to their acting and singing capabilities. Even though Lucy, played by Kelly was a focus of the plot but not as much to the camera, she was a vision to be admired on screen. This film may not appeal to a massive audience due to its content and the manner of which the story unfolds through song. Overall though, most of course, will love it or hate it. Personally, I liked it and recommend it to the musical fans not afraid to witness over the top red painted spewing brutal murders right in time for the festive holiday season. Remember to never forget and never forgive!
Reporting for Talkin' Pets, I'm Jon Patch.