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And the trick is why did I pay money to watch what a couple of students might have thought a 5 minutes short with a second rate Scarlett Johansson lookalike and a plot like a leaky bucket.
Avoid like the plague.
Follow Ups:
You'd send your date to this film?
Why and where would you be?
It doesn't even make a good job with the only female character who is so cardboard I am surprised she is allowed that close to the flames when she goes on stage. Her character seems to only be there so that the Illusionist has some reason for getting at the Prince, whose own obsession with unmasking the tricks seems more than perverse.
... as I pointed out below, a room full of folks at our housewarming party were enthralled with our screening of The Illusionist, actually rising in applause. No one would disagree that there are a few problems one could nit-pick, but it's a fine period romantic movie that would be a great date flick, ...unless you're dating someone like Abby from NCIS (grin). Note: It makes me wonder what you'd recommend as a good romantic "date" film though.> > > "It doesn't even make a good job with the only female character who is so cardboard I am surprised she is allowed that close to the flames when she goes on stage." < < <
Perhaps that's because Jennifer Biel is just too HOT for ya (sorry, couldn't resist)! ;^)
IMHO, Jennifer was VERY convincing in this role; not cardboard by a long shot. Sorry you didn't like her acting, but I thought she was quite believable and attractive as the female romantic lead.
Cheers,
AuPh
... in out tastes or there's be a queue!
I didn't find the film as ridiculous as some I've seen recently, but to me it was wooden at best.
A date movie?
From the past year...
Little Miss Sunshine?
The New World?
To be honest I don't have much grasp on the concept as I don't remember the last time I went on a date to a film... oh maybe Tristan And Isolde.
that has a ton of problems but is still enjoyable in-spite of itself. I saw it last week and enjoyed it. I think Tinear summed it up best: a good popcorn film. Don't think about it too much.John
a
nt
I enjoyed this movie, Paul was excellent as was Norton... and the female lead was quite attractive and believable in her role. I got lost in the period, all the props looked genuine. Sure, after the movie was over and on looking back, there might be a couple places where one can poke holes in the plot, but in the actual moment of watching the movie its very captivating.
I found The Illusionist to be an excellent film with fine actors whose performances I genuinely cared about. It's not perfect, mind you, but a minor gem nonetheless, with rich period setting and only a few faults (mostly to do with the overenthusiastic CGI "magic" effects). Jessica Biel, who you unfairly denigrated with that "second rate Scarlett Johansson" remark, was perfectly cast and very appealing as the passion driven Edward Norton's 'lost love' interest, as was Paul Giamatti's portrayal of the ambitious, status conscious, public servant.AuPh
...'s character was obsessively concerned with being fair. An unlikely state in that historical setting.
At the start of the film, when the boy meets the magician, I thought something surprising was going to happen from the way the backdrops were so obviously painted, but the moment passed.
Like watching a "magician" (David Copperfield springs to mind) on the TV, its not much of a trick to have things happen in a film. BUt this production drove ahead unbothered by such things. The rekindling of childhood romance... shame the boy ran as fast and far as he could as soon as there had been problems.
The plot was not only signposted but spelled out.
As for Biel's character. What was she doing with the prince? She clearly had no interest, but she completely flipped as soon as the magician re-appeared.
How this got past any production meetings is beyond me.
Yes, Vienna looked nice.
> > > "I thought Giamatti's character was obsessively concerned with being fair. An unlikely state in that historical setting." < < <Not at all. The fact that he had to placate the aristocracy didn't conflict with his personal struggle to maintain his position as an honest public servant. It was a difficult balance, but in a period when the old ways of royalty having absolute political authority were in decline and the growing bourgeoisie's bureaucratic influence was in ascendence, such behavior does not appear out of place.
> > > "As for Biel's character. What was she doing with the prince? She clearly had no interest, but she completely flipped as soon as the magician re-appeared." < < <
Again, this was still a period when aristocratic power held some sway, especially when it came to affairs of state, including arranged marriages. She had little control and was serving her family's and the state's requirements out of honor, and possibly fear of reprisal against those close to her. Her childhood lover's scheme played perfectly into this scenario.
FYI, my wife and I screened this film on a 10' screen for a large groups of friends attending our housewarming party back in January just after The Illusionist was released on DVD. At the end of the film there was unanimous applause that even surprised me! Apparently this movie clicked with an audience of our frinds, to a person!
Cheers,
AuPh
Obviously arranged marriages were a part of, and in fact are still a part of the lives of the inbred royalties of Europe, bu the character had no substance whatsoever, merely walking onstage and off into the mists of wherever.
That the royal family themselves or the police made no examination of the body is bizarre, although Giamatti's character did hold her hand, so presumably she had taken an unmentioned drug so powerful as to stop her heart, chill her blood and soon allow for an antidote.
Mind you, in my opinion, her acting didn't suffer from her dying...
The policeman being fair was my response to your opinion that he was obsessed with status. I didn't notice that unless you meant his comment that the prince was untouchable within his palace (was it a palace?).
If you liked it, then fine, I really couldn't figure why anyone had described it well at all.
While not as laughable as Little Children, its certainly on my forgettable list for this year.
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