We're joined by special guest Caroline to unpack Alfonso Cuarón's visually lush, wildly stylized take on Dickens. Ethan Hawke broods, Gwyneth Paltrow floats, and De Niro lurks in the shadows of 90s Florida—while we debate whether any of it actually works as a story. We break down the film's hypnotic direction, discuss why the character motivations are so confusing, and argue over whether this is a bold reinvention or a beautiful mess. By the end, we're not sure if we watched a coming-of-age romance or just a two-hour fever dream with great art direction. Wikipedia page for Great Expectations. Films recommended this episode:

• Pride & Prejudice
• The Age of Innocence
• Challengers

Follow Mike and Mike on Letterboxd @mikebackatyou and @mikethefab, email them at [email protected], and follow them on Instagram @ourherodeniro. Next week: Born to Win