I wanted to see Great Expectations (2012) because of the cast: Ralph Fiennes, Sally Hawkins and Helena Bonham Carter, but I only felt invested in Joe played by Jason Flemyng. I’ve generally enjoyed any adaptation of Charles Dickens whether it stars Ethan Hawke or appears on PBS. The pacing was uneven so I had no sense of how much time had passed from scene to scene. The entire adaptation was rushed. Even though I am familiar with the story (I never read the book), I still had moments of confusion. Usually Dickens’ main characters are likable blank slates, but I kind of hated Pip and understood why his friend’s wife did not want him to hang out with Pip. He doesn’t need or have the money to deal with his problems. Great Expectations (2012) was a complete disappointment. Skip it!