Great Expectations (1998) - Movie Synopsis & Plot

Loosely based on the Charles Dickens' classic novel, GREAT EXPECTATIONS is a sensual tale of a young man's unforgettable passage into manhood, and the three individuals who will undeniably change his life forever. Through the surprising interactions of these vivid characters, GREAT EXPECTATIONS takes a unique and contemporary look at life's great coincidences.

In a small Florida town on the Gulf Coast, eight-year-old Finn Bell lives with his sister Maggie and his "Uncle" Joe. They barely scrape by, but aspiring artist Finn enjoys his simple life, drawing pictures in the colorful Gulf waters.

Finn's journey to adulthood begins suddenly with the shocking appearance of a dangerous convict who forces the boy to aid in his escape from prison. With this experience still freshly etched in his mind, Finn is summoned to the decaying mansion of Ms. Nora Dinsmoor, the richest woman in the gulf, who had lost her mind thirty years earlier when her fiance left her standing at the altar. There, Finn meets Dinsmoor's niece Estella, who, even at age 11, displays an upper class iciness toward the young, impoverished boy who instantly and hopelessly falls in love with her.

Finn's meetings with Estella and her crazed, wealthy aunt fuel new dreams: to paint for the rich, to enjoy their freedom ... and to love Estella.

"She'll only break your heart; it's a fact," Ms. Dinsmoor warns Finn. "And even though I warn you, even though I guarantee you that the girl will only hurt you terribly, you'll still pursue her. Ain't love grand?"

The crazed woman's warnings become Finn's harshest reality when Estella abruptly leaves without saying goodbye. A despondent Finn stops painting, stops dreaming ... until a mysterious benefactor sends the now grown young man to New York. Pursuing his dreams in the glamorous world of the New York art scene, the once-poor artist seems to finally have it all: wealth, status, fame - and a reunion with Estella.

But Life and its great coincidences have more surprises in store for Finn, who, inthe course of his journey, becomes lost in his great expectations ...

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