The life of David Copperfield is chronicled from his birth to now. David has an idyllic life and is taken to visit the family of his nanny Peggoty in their boat house in Yarmouth. When he returns, his young and widowed mother Clara has married the sinister and cruel Mr. Murdstone who beats the boy. The abused David Copperfield is sent to work in Murdstone's factory where he lodges with Mr. Micawber and his family who are pursued by their creditors. After being told of his mother's death and funeral David escapes from his life of drudgery and finds his wealthy aunt Betsey Trotwood and her lodger, the eccentric Mr. Dick. After troubling problems with Steerforth and Uriah Heep, Betsy Trotwood finances David’s ambition to become a gentleman and author.
Cast
Production
It was announced in February 2018 that Armando Iannucci would be writing, directing, and producing a new adaptation of the Charles Dickens novel. Iannucci wrote the screenplay with co-writer Simon Blackwell. Dev Patel was cast in the title role later that month. In April, the supporting cast was added, which included Tilda Swinton, Hugh Laurie, Aneurin Barnard, Ben Whishaw and Morfydd Clark. In May 2018, Peter Capaldi was cast to play Mr. Micawber and pre-production was underway. Filming began in June 2018 in Norfolk and Suffolk, with Gwendoline Christie, Benedict Wong, Paul Whitehouse, and Daisy May Cooper joining the cast. Scenes were shot in Hull, Bury St Edmunds, Weybourne and King's Lynn in July. Aimee Kelly was added to the cast the same month. Principal photography on the film concluded in August 2018. In filming David Copperfield, it became the first theatrical film production of the novel in 50 years.
Release
The film had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on 5 September 2019, followed by its European premiere on 2 October 2019, acting as the opening film of the 63rd BFI London Film Festival. It was the Surprise Film at the 39th Cambridge Film Festival. Prior to, Searchlight Pictures acquired U.S. distribution rights to the film. It was released in the United Kingdom on 24 January 2020, and was scheduled to be released in the United States on 8 May 2020. On 17 March 2020, the film was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On 12 June 2020, it was rescheduled for 14 August 2020. On 23 July 2020, it was once again rescheduled for 28 August 2020.
Reception
Critical response
On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 93% based on 91 reviews, with an average rating of 7.48/10. The website's critics consensus reads: "The Personal History of David Copperfield puts a fresh, funny, and utterly charming spin on Dickens' classic, proving some stories truly are timeless." On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 75 out of 100, based on 19 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Writing for The Guardian, Mark Kermode awarded the film a full five stars and stated: "It really is a wonderfully entertaining film, managing to both respect and reinvent the novel from which it takes its lead."
