Twist is a 2003 Canadian indie film written and directed by Jacob Tierney, loosely based on Oliver Twist.
In present-day Toronto, Dodge (Nick Stahl) works as a male prostitute along with a few other boys in their late teens for Fagin (Gary Farmer). Fagin provides shelter as long as the boys work, but is constantly hounded by Bill Sikes for the money the boys bring in. Sikes' pregnant girlfriend, Nancy (Michèle-Barbara Pelletier), works as a waitress in a cafe and is sympathetic toward the boys.
Dodge discovers Oliver (Joshua Close), a gorgeous young man with nowhere to live, and brings him into his world of hustling and drug abuse.
It is not a feel-good movie.
Twist includes examples of the following tropes:
- Adaptational Sexuality: There was no evidence anyone in the original story was gay so, naturally, Oliver and Dodger both fall under this.
- Band of Brothels: Bill Sikes oversees Fagin's boys.
- Brother-Brother Incest: What causes Dodge to completely lose it.
- Downer Ending: Dodge is sexually abused by his brother. This causes him to snap, lash out on Oliver and murder Bill as retribution for the death of Nancy. Fagin commits suicide and the whereabouts of Dodge and the other boys is unknown. The last scene features Oliver still into prostituion, just as Dodge was at the beginning of the movie. But now he's jaded and resignated to his situation.
- Greasy Spoon: Nancy works at one.
- Local Hangout: The Three Cripples.
- Must Have Nicotine: Dodge is rarely seen without a cigarette.
- My Secret Pregnancy: Possibly Nancy, as her pregnancy is never mentioned by any of the other characters and she appears to only be in the first trimester.
- Pay Evil unto Evil: Dodge kills Bill as revenge for killing Nancy.
- Plucky Girl: Betsy, and to a lesser extent, Nancy.
- Promoted to Love Interest: Oliver and Dodge for each other.
- Rape as Drama: When Dodge is sexually abused by his brother, he snaps.
- Recycled In Space: Oliver Twist in Toronto with aged-up characters that work as hustlers.
- Wife-Basher Basher: Dodge kills Bill after Bill kills Nancy and her unborn child.
