Dorian Gray

I’ve often wondered about films that begin with a horrific incident, only to then step back in time and tell the story leading up to that point. If the incident is compelling enough, it’s a good hook. Sometimes it’s not needed, and here I think the story would have gained more power had that incident been left out. We see and learn too much. The story would have been more powerful if we had seen the character change and grow without any foreknowledge. The film is still good, with Colin Firth giving a fine performance. However, the one thing that propels this story forward is the one thing that wasn’t properly explained. I’ll leave that up to you to think about.