Skip to content
What's After the Movie?
Romantic drama

Great Expectations (1998): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot

Great Expectations (1998) movie poster

Great Expectations is a 1998 romantic drama directed by Alfonso Cuarón, starring Gwyneth Paltrow. It runs 1 hour 51 minutes and earned $55.5 million worldwide. Critics gave it 55 on Metacritic.

worldwide gross
$55.5M
Metascore
55
Loading streaming availability…
Great Expectations (1998) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 51m (111 min)
Director
Alfonso Cuarón
Genres
Drama , Romance
Original language
English
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Great Expectations About?

The premise of Great Expectations without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

A young man's life is dramatically shaped by encounters with three key figures, leading him on a journey of love, loss, and profound self-discovery. He experiences unexpected generosity and faces difficult choices that test his character and values. Through these transformative relationships, he confronts the complexities of social class, ambition, and the true meaning of happiness, ultimately learning valuable lessons about himself and the world around him.

Great Expectations Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • brother sister relationship
  • hand kissing
  • waltz
  • hebrew the language
  • latin the language
  • greek the language
  • based on the works of charles dickens
  • gulf coast
  • florida
  • 1980s
  • voice over narration
  • cat
+38 more
  • female rear nudity
  • modern day adaptation
  • based on novel
  • orphan
  • secret
  • dancing
  • friendship
  • jealousy
  • subway
  • fishing
  • estella character
  • whiskey
  • singer
  • singing
  • song
  • crying
  • tears
  • mirror
  • looking at oneself in a mirror
  • family relationships
  • benefactor
  • cousin cousin relationship
  • money
  • husband wife relationship
  • pride
  • whispering
  • card playing
  • subjective camera
  • flashback
  • flash forward
  • storytelling
  • dancer
  • giving a toast
  • party
  • food
  • eating
  • fight
  • friend
Loading streaming availability…
Cast & crew

Great Expectations Cast

Gwyneth Paltrow stars in Great Expectations. Directed by Alfonso Cuarón.

Ratings

Great Expectations Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave Great Expectations 55 on Metacritic.

Plot

Great Expectations Plot Summary

What happens in Great Expectations from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 5-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

The film commences with a young artist, Finnegan “Finn” Bell (Ethan Hawke), wandering through the picturesque shores of the Gulf Coast in Florida. His world takes a shocking turn when an escaped convict, Arthur Lustig (Robert De Niro), emerges unexpectedly from the ocean and forcibly makes Finn promise to return the next day with essential supplies, including food, medicine, and a bolt cutter to liberate his shackled leg. Finn fulfills this request, only to find that Lustig has ulterior motives, attempting to coerce Finn into taking him by boat to Mexico. However, their plans are thwarted when the police intercept their small vessel at sea and tow Finn back to shore.

Full summary

The whole story of Great Expectations, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

Great Expectations Box Office

Great Expectations grossed $55.5 million worldwide. $26.4 million came from the US and Canada and $29.1 million (52%) from the rest of the world.

1998 box office

Worldwide gross

$55.5M

US & Canada
$26.4M
International
$29.1M
US & Canada 48% Rest of the world 52%
Videos

Great Expectations Trailers & Videos

The trailer of Great Expectations.

Throwback Trailer
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Great Expectations?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

Who plays the character of Finn Bell in the film?

Cars

Cars in Great Expectations

15 cars on screen, including the 1962 Chevrolet C/K-Series and the 1987 Chevrolet Caprice.

All 15 cars
  • 1962 Chevrolet C/K-Series in Great Expectations 1962 Chevrolet C/K-Series Important role
  • 1987 Chevrolet Caprice in Great Expectations 1987 Chevrolet Caprice Important role
  • 1993 Cadillac Fleetwood Stretched Limousine in Great Expectations 1993 Cadillac Fleetwood Stretched Limousine Minor role
  • 1986 Ford LTD Crown Victoria in Great Expectations 1986 Ford LTD Crown Victoria Minor role
Details

Great Expectations Also Known As

28 alternative titles, including “Grandes Esperanzas” and “Paradiso perduto (De Niro)”.

Also known as
  • Grandes Esperanzas
  • Paradiso perduto (De Niro)
  • 위대한 유산
  • Great Expectations (1998)
  • Große Erwartungen
  • Büyük Umutlar
  • Paradiso perduto
  • Szép remények
  • Большие надежды
  • 远大前程
  • Μεγάλες Προσδοκίες
  • De grandes espérances
+16 more
  • Wielkie nadzieje
  • Marile speranțe
  • תקוות גדולות
  • Grandes Esperanças
  • Големите надeжди
  • Lysande utsikter
  • Velké naděje
  • Didieji lūkesčiai
  • 大いなる遺産
  • Mong Ước Cuồng Dại
  • انتظارات بزرگ, დიდი იმედები
  • 烈愛風雲
  • Loistava tulevaisuus
  • เธอผู้นั้นรักเกินความคาดหมาย
  • Store forventninger
  • 遠大前程

Seen Great Expectations?

FAQ

Great Expectations FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime

Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings and post-credit scenes of Great Expectations, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Great Expectations?

Great Expectations runs 1 hour 51 minutes (111 minutes).

When was Great Expectations released?

Great Expectations was released on January 30, 1998.

Who directed Great Expectations?

Great Expectations was directed by Alfonso Cuarón.

More films by Alfonso Cuarón

Who is in the cast of Great Expectations?

Great Expectations stars Gwyneth Paltrow.

How much did Great Expectations make at the box office?

Great Expectations grossed $55.5 million worldwide ($26.4 million domestic, $29.1 million international).

How is Great Expectations rated?

Great Expectations has 55 on Metacritic and 66% on TMDB.

Does Great Expectations have a post-credit scene?

No. Great Expectations has no extra scene during or after the credits.

Coming soon to your phone

The Plot Explained Movie Summary App

From blockbusters to hidden gems: plot summaries, endings explained and timelines on your phone. Save your favorites and never miss a twist again.

Be the first to know when it launches. Your email stays private, always. Learn more about the app