Vinson Cunningham's sparkling debut novel, set during the Obama campaign, earns its comparisons to Henry James. February 28, at a. March 05, This adaptation of Charles Dickens' classic novel, which stars Olivia Colman, Fionn Whitehead and Shalom Brune-Franklin, is a very dark and. Written by Steven Knight and co-produced by the BBC and FX, this “Great Expectations” is dimly lit and grimly violent, with the chaos and sudden. EST. By Laura Miller. Review: Coming-of-age 'Great Expectations' offers trip back to the Obama-era. Review by Ron Charles. Vinson Cunningham's impressive debut novel finds a watchful campaign aide measuring his ambitions on the trail of a magnetic presidential. m. . Mar 16, ANN LEVIN. Vinson Cunningham's novel is a coming-of-age story that captures the soul of America. The only thing that sets the adaptation apart from the rest is the exaggeration of Miss Havisham's rage and her overwhelming presence. Uncategorized. Vinson Cunningham, theater critic for. Steven Knight's adaptation of Charles Dickens' classic Great Expectation features exceptional performances by Oliva Colman and Fionn. Fiction allows author Vinson Cunningham to find small moments of beauty in ways that a memoir of his own campaign experience would not. This year's Great Expectations is the work of the Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight and stars Olivia Colman as Miss Havisham. She appears.