Tim Burton's 2007 film Sweeney Todd tells the story of a wrongfully imprisoned barber who seeks revenge by killing his accusers with razors. Sweeney Todd (Johnny Depp) returns to his old hair salon in London after fifteen years of imprisonment and, with the help of his neighbor, a pastry chef named Mrs. Lovett (Helena Bonham Carter), sets up his business again. However, Todd has another goal in mind with his razors: to lure and kill Judge Turpin (Alan Rickman) and his secondary, Beadle Bamford (Timothy Spall), who have imprisoned him and taken his wife and child. As the film unfolds, Todd becomes more and more obsessed with redeeming himself and returning to his once comfortable life with his beloved wife, Lucy (Laura Michelle Kelly) and young daughter, Johanna (Jayne Wisener). This obsession with redemption is the central theme of the film. However, the problem it poses to society is whether this obsession is healthy or not. Although Todd's goal is to kill the judge, he is more obsessed with redemption than murder. For him, murder is only a means to an end. When he returns to London, Mrs. Lovett tells him that the judge raped his wife and adopted his child. Todd thought his family was waiting for him, but instead he finds himself in an unexpected state of shock and grief. He believes his wife has died from poisoning and must leave immediately. From a psychological point of view, Todd is completely justified in his obsession. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, “Major life transitions and bereavement can lead to an intensification of ritualistic behavior that may appear as an obsession” (“Obsessive Compulsive Disorder”). Psychologically, ob...... middle of paper ...... side that softens controversies for the public.Vineburg, Steve. “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.” Christian century. February 12, 2008: 51. Print. Steven Vineberg, professor at the College of the Holy Cross, clearly has his opinion on the film, but especially in relation to the play. He seems quite upset about all the Tim Burton musical cuts in the story, which is understandable because the music adds a lot to the story of the piece. Vineberg argues that the humor of the piece is also a necessary element that the film did not have. This lack of humor and music adds to the darkness of the film, which is one of Burton's usual themes in his films. Vineberg may criticize Burton's interpretation of the play on screen, but that only highlights the picture's true nature as a dark, twisted horror film..