So it seems that many are hindered by the excellent adaptations in the past being their "expectation". Y s they were great and yes this one did stray from the genius that is Dickens more than I'd like. However, the book is much darker than any adaptation, including this one and I query how many have actually read it. I was lucky enough that my first experience with the story was the book and no adaptation has come even close to it. This.one does not differ there but it was dark, subversive and had the unusual element of keeping me guessing. The cast were very good although I didnt find Estella cold enough or Pip snobby enough, the filming excellent and the pace spot on . Did I like the ending? Not as much as I hoped but like I say nothing has or will come.close to the cold raining November night in the late eighties when I turned to the last page and that is not the fault of any adaptation. That would be because Dickens and his incredible story telling.