Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street - Review

"But there's no place like London…" – A review of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

I have always loved a Tim Burton film. As a former emo kid, I grew up obsessed with The Nightmare Before Christmas, Edward Scissorhands and Corpse Bride, the stranger the plot the better. I loved the dark aesthetic and I loved the songs – so when Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street was released in 2008; I was so excited to watch. What I wasn't expecting was it to become my favourite Tim Burton film ever.

It had been fifteen long years since Benjamin Barker (Johnny Depp) had been wrongfully exiled by the corrupt Judge Turpin (Alan Rickman). Fifteen years since he's seen his wife or child, fifteen years since he'd been home, fifteen years to think and dream of coming back to his loving family. Returning with sailor Anthony Hope (Jamie Campbell Bower) he learns from Mrs Lovett (Helena Bonham Carter) that his wife Lucy (Laura Michelle Kelly) poisoned herself, and his daughter Johanna (Jayne Wisener) is now the ward of the terrible judge. Living under the alias Sweeney Todd, Barker teams up with Mrs Lovett, known for having the worst pies in London, to get his revenge…

I absolutely loved this film. Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter are both absolutely incredible in their roles; Depp is unsettling, his rage bubbling under the surface, and he has the ability to radiate danger with just a look. Carter's portrayal is exceptional – she's eccentric, but is clearly in love, and her mannerisms and body language show her to be a character who will go to any lengths to make the man she loves happy. Alan Rickman's performance is a truly villainous, his ability to shift from respectable to dangerous in a moment coming across as truly threatening, especially when he interacts with Anthony.

Bower is innocent, charming and completely disarming as Anthony, full of youthful, hopeful energy and a soft feel to his performance which makes him a naïve but lovable protagonist to root for, in complete juxtaposition to the antihero nature of Depp and Carter's performances. Every performance in this film is perfect and there isn't a single role which could have been cast better.

I love the songs throughout – from Anthony's sweet melody for Johanna to Mrs Lovett's dark and sadistic invitation to work with her, every song suits the accompanying character perfectly. Aside from the iconic songs, the sound design as a whole is great as well – the disgusting squelching of the pies, the scraping sound of metal from the razor blades and the background noise of London as a whole makes for an immersive watch.

The film looks great too – London is gloomy, dark and grimy, rooms are shadowy and mysterious, and you see squalor and luxury in equal measure. London feels real, exciting and dangerous, homes look lived in and detailed, and every shadowy corner feels threatening.

I absolutely adore this film. I love the look of it, I love the songs, I love the story and the performances are truly incredible. I really can't fault it, and I have friends who aren't fans of musicals who still really enjoyed this one. If you enjoy a dark, historical satire full of memorable songs and a story that will stay with you, you will love Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

Written by Tam Page

Posted by Mr. Tomney

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