Dorian Gray (2010)

Directed By: Oliver Parker

Starring: Ben Barnes, Colin Firth, Rebecca Hall, Ben Chaplin, & Rachel Hurd-Wood

MPAA Rating: R

My Rating: 9 / 10

I'm going to make a rather bold claim to start off what is sure to be a rather glowing review. This claim might be bold, but I believe it to be quite true. Dorian Gray is the most underappreciated film of the year...not "one of the" or "perhaps the," but "the" as in the only one. Sitting at a respectable, but insignificant 6.3 rating on the IMDb and sporting a paltry 44% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, it would seem to the casual observer that Dorian Gray is an undeniably dud, a cinematic turkey, if you will. But, those observations would by wholly inaccurate. In fact, Dorian Gray is not just the most underappreciated films of the year; it is, quite simply, one of the best. I cannot tell you why I seem to be lone defender of this film, when so many others have disregarded it. I found myself swept away by its visuals, enamored by its performances (particularly a very sympathetic Ben Barnes in the title role, as well as a perfectly devilish Colin Firth), and fully engaged in its story. All of this coming from someone who thinks that Oscar Wilde practically walked on water. Indeed, Dorian Gray does not remain 100% loyal to its source material, but it captures the spirit of the text, an achievement that so many other filmmakers have failed to obtain.

If you took a literature course at all either in high school or in college, you have doubtlessly heard of The Picture of Dorian Gray, the story of a young man who essentially sells his soul for a lifetime of good looks and youth. A perfectly-cast Ben Barnes assumes the role of Dorian, who begins the story as a naive gentlemen and ends it as a hardened, haunted soul. He is guided down his dark path by Lord Henry Wotton (Colin Firth), a man whose marriage has stifled the life of decadence and debauchery he wishes he had. Because Henry cannot have the life he desires, he thrusts it upon the impressionable Dorian who quickly becomes consumed by sex and drugs. But, even as his personal life spirals out of control and his hobbies grow more and more harmful, nothing seems to mark the beautiful Dorian. In fact, he never ages either. Instead, his portrait, painted by the caring Basil Hallward (Ben Chaplin), assumes the effects of his sinful lifestyle, outwardly reflecting the ugliness that lives within Dorian's soul. And Dorian must do anything to keep the portrait hidden.

What follows is a fascinating morality tale about how far one would go to hide the darkness of their soul. Ultimately, Dorian Gray works because we can all relate to the title character. Certainly, most of us wouldn't go out and have sex with a woman while her daughter, with whom we also just had sex, hid under the bed...but I think we all have dings in our character that we hope others won't discover. The difference for Dorian is that his failures are on vivid display in his mangled, demonic portrait. "I have seen my soul," he confesses to a priest, during the pivotal time in the film when Dorian finally understands that, though his body has remain unchanged, the consequences of his actions are still very present. These are the moments where Ben Barnes really shines. He effortlessly captures Dorian's journey from naive schoolboy to philandering casanova and finally to tortured, hopeless man. It would have been all too easy for him to overract in these scenes, but Barnes brings a nuanced and controlled approach to the role that, ultimately, makes it much more powerful.

Barnes is aided immeasurably by Colin Firth, who I would venture to call the greatest actor of his generation (I'm making a lot of bold statements in this review, but I stand behind them all). Firth embraces his role of the despicably Henry Wotton and delivers a fine performance that is quite fun and infectious. Firth is so good, he practically convinces us to have gratuitous sex and do lots of drugs. He doesn't just quote Oscar Wilde's masterful and iconic one-liners; instead, he performs a cinematic miracle by making the well-known lines his own and delivering them naturally and fluidly. When Barnes and Firth share the screen, the movie sparkles with their electric chemistry, and I appreciated the opportunity to watch two great actors working together with such great material. All of this makes me quite sad that Dorian Gray didn't receive more attention, while not really connecting with many critics. It truly is a great movie, anchored by strong performances and a tremendous story. There might have been some changes from the original book...but I think Oscar Wilde would be proud.