Nicholas Nickleby

As this wonderful adaptation reminds us, Dickens endures mostly because of his characters.

At a little over two hours, this is a pared-down but no less essential Dickensian feast.

McGrath's version of Nicholas Nickleby cashes in on age-old show biz wisdom of "always leave 'em wanting more." It's a pity we're only allowed such a small nibble of one of Dickens' richest works.

This mid-19th century tale of survival after the death of a parent is still compelling today, and its message of strength and the importance of family continues to resonate.

McGrath, who adapted the novel, manages to catch the flavor of it without its tang.

In his capable, yet only mildly exciting, adaptation of Charles Dickens’ third novel, Douglas McGrath (Emma) keeps reminding us that what we’re seeing is theater. This feels gratuitous.

Watchable, certainly. It should have been so much more.