Hugh Laurie stars as a teacher charged with instructing aboriginal children on an isolated island in Papua New Guinea in this ham-fisted, emotionally manipulative, and often downright cringe-worthy adaptation of Lloyd Jones's 2006 novel. Laurie plays Mr. Watts, a mysterious, mixed-up Englishman and the only non-native on Bougainville Island during the civil war unfolding in the early 1990's. Watts charms the children with his passion for Charles Dickens's Great Expectations, especially young Matilda (Xzannjah Matsi), who conjures fantasy versions starring Papuan villagers of some of the book's famous scenes. The novel's character of Mr. Pip is a fanciful touchstone for Matilda, but later becomes dangerously real for soldiers who believe that this Pip person is a rebel leader hiding on the island. Directed by Andrew Adamson, the film's mixture of historical drama and inspirational uplift ultimately feels phony and contrived, and while Laurie is a charming actor, that's not enough to make Mr. Pip a satisfying outing for either mainstream viewers or the art house crowd. Optional, at best. (T. Fry)
Mr. Pip
Freestyle, 115 min., PG-13, DVD: $14.99 Volume 30, Issue 1
Mr. Pip
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