I like this production. However of course its Miss Havisham (Gillian Anderson) is decidedly youngish, and its Estella (Vanessa Kirby) far from being the irresistible great beauty the character is supposed to be. The former issue (G.A.'s age) doesn't actually bother me any, though the latter issue (V.K.) does ongoingly distract me when I've viewed this, as you keep knowing Miss Havisham has reared Estella to be such an amazing enticement, and that Estella is supposedly drop-dead gorgeous - and you keep seeing Pip respond and react to her accordingly. Yet, to the viewer's eyes, the appeal simply isn't at all evident. Instead we see a young woman with a bland, unlikeable personality and limited physical attractiveness, who seems like absolutely no big deal; it's hard to understand what all the fuss is about. Meanwhile, Douglas Booth's infinitely more charismatic and far better looking (in fact actually model-perfect beautiful) Pip outshines Estella in every way (also Booth is the better actor) and causes her to thoroughly pale in comparison.

Despite Gillian Anderson being young for the role of Havisham, she gives a terrific haunted and haunting performance, that I really like. Ray Winstone's Abel Magwitch is the production's particular standout, and is superb.

This is a production I enjoy and that I feel holds up overall nicely. And it has a great look to it. Vanessa Kirby's Estella is my only real problem with this version.