My Thoughts on the Film, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street…

Although I’m not a big fan, I’ve always been appreciative of Stephen Sondheim's musicals, with their heavier emphasis on character development more than mere musical aside. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, a film version of the Broadway musical, does this in spades. Filled with character introspection, themes of revenge and murder, and absolutely no hugely choreographed musical numbers, this film/musical tells a tale of heartbreak, horror, and abuse of power.

Sondheim musicals also require that the actors hired to play his roles be able to sing exceptionally well while convincingly emoting whatever the scene/character demands. Johnny Depp as the title character is well-known to brood convincingly, but add a mournful baritone voice to his standby emotions, and you have a well-developed, exquisitely acted main character. His performance was so noteworthy that it earned him an Oscar nod. Helena Bonham Carter as Mrs. Lovett, also known for her brooding persona, interacts well with Depp and counterpoints his baritone with her soulful mezzo-soprano, adding depth to a lovelorn woman who all but defines loyalty to a fault.

This film is dark and bloody, and not for the faint of heart. Todd, who returns to London after fifteen years in an Australian penal colony, wants revenge. His beautiful wife and child were taken by the too on-the-nose villain, Judge Turpin (a scowling Alan Rickman). Todd returns to his former residence to see that his landlady, Mrs. Lovett, has opened a meat pie shop and has not rented his former flat since his unjust imprisonment. Both of them, with their attendant skills, scheme to kill and then cook unwitting men who merely seek a close shave.

A close shave, indeed.

The film ends tragically, as only a story like this could. There is one unresolved plot point involving the story’s ingénue and her doting potential lover, and this bothered me a bit. Not so much as to cramp my enjoyment of the film, but enough to irk the completist in me.

I recommend this film to fans of Stephen Sondheim musicals and those who appreciate a dark morality tale. But be warned, the blood and plot points can and will most likely haunt viewers for some time after viewing it.