Oliver!

Right now you can watch Oliver! In Australia on Foxtel Now — and the writing holds up regardless of the format's reputation. It says what it needs to say in one sitting, no filler. Its 7/10 TMDB score, built from 487 ratings, reflects a title that consistently delivers. A harder one to justify skipping than to start. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on Foxtel Now.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, Oliver! Is worth clearing space for. Oliver! Has the visual identity that makes it immediately recognisable, and the writing to back it up. Musical adaptation of Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist, a classic tale of an orphan who runs away from the workhouse and joins up with a group of boys headed by the Artful Dodger and trained to be pickpockets by master thief Fagin. Ron Moody and Shani Wallis lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 1968. The animation style is distinctive enough to be immediately recognisable, but it is the writing underneath that keeps viewers coming back for more. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

Animation fans will appreciate the craft, but Oliver! Works for viewers who do not typically seek out animation too. It rewards viewers regardless of what else is in their watch history. A contained runtime means every scene is doing real work. The writing operates at a level the format's reputation does not fully prepare you for. Adult animation that actually works for adults.