Depp, Carter & Burton collectively ruin this movie


Depp and Carter are so understated and (particularly Depp) one note in their portrayal (does Depp's facial expression EVER change?) that they rob the film of any of the humor, pathos, and sympathy that are so important to their characterization. Todd and Lovett are two of the most iconic and memorable characters in the musical theater canon and Depp and Carter are so dull and one note (what's with all the whispering?) that you have no feelings for them whatsoever. This was all done to satisfy the wishes of Burton who felt that because they were singing roles the parts were already too large and everything needed to downplayed and flat. Had Burton NEVER seen a musical film? The exact OPPOSITE is true. Singing characters are so over the top in film that you have to bump up the level of performance so the acting and dialogue are on the same level as the singing. As it is, Depp and Carter are so dull that even their singing is uninteresting and unenergetic (did anyone tell them that "A Little Priest" was supposed to be FUNNY?)
And yet, other cast members fare much better, Spall and Rickman are particularly good, playing their roles with great complexity. But the best performance in the film is that of young Edward Sanders who you absolutely fall in love with. And his rendition of the song "Not While I'm Around" is absolutely heartbreaking. The best version of that song ever recorded.
This could have been really good but Depp, Carter and Burton really misunderstood the material and their approach ruins the entire movie.
Such a missed opportunity.

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The problem was Depp and Carter simply couldn't carry a tune. It would have been wiser to have the film portrayed as straight drama instead of a musical.

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I didn't see the stage show live until after I'd seen the film, before that I just played the original cast recording obsessively.

I was astonished at how lively, fast-moving, dramatic, funny, and shocking the stage play was! I mean this movie took the same material, shortened it and sped up the action... and made it so dull and flat that it dragged. Burton really blew it, there's much more wrong with the film than the bad leading performances.

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Oh, it's true! I've seen this show on the stage a couple of times, and it's a funny, lively, dramatic, horrifying piece of theater with some fantastic music.

Burtion, Depp, and Bonhan-Carter managed to not only bleed all the energy, drama, and humor out if it, but to butcher the music! It's one if the worst adaptations of a musical I've ever seen, and while I give Burton the bulk of the blame, Depp and Bonham-Carter did what they could to ruin it.

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And that's really sad since all three have done so much to entertain us for a couple decades.
Seriously, I don't know much about Sweeney Todd, but I know it was very popular and had an amusingly grim story line, ala Arsenic and Old Lace and Little Shop Of Horrors. To have mishandled the material so thoroughly is bizarre and makes me feel like I've been robbed. This movie failed so badly, I never see it broadcast or mentioned, and all three are high profile stars.

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