Dorian Gray

Oscar Wilde’s gothic classic about the perils of yearning for everlasting youth, has been updated by director Oliver Parker (An Ideal Husband, St Trinians). For the uninitiated, naïve heartthrob Dorian Gray (Ben Barnes) arrives in Victorian London as the heir to a large townhouse and attracts the attentions of society artist Basil (Ben Chaplin) and conniving gent Henry (Colin Firth) who teaches Dorian the art of immorality and debauchery. Dorian soon breaks the heart of a struggling actress and then works his way through many high-society women, goaded by mentor Henry. Basil meanwhile paints a striking portrait of Dorian, a painting which relieves Dorian of ageing and absorbs the degradations of his soul. Dorian keeps the portrait under lock and key, but harbouring this ghastly secret will have repercussions. As a gothic re-run, Dorian Gray is patchy, although Colin Firth is strong as the principal baddie and whilst at times it's absorbing you’re unlikely to be emotionally drawn in to any of it.