FILMBRATS - REVIEWS

The Illusionist is a movie about a magician, the lady he loves, an intrepid police inspector, and Rufus Sewell’s mustache. The weakest illusion of all may be that any of these people used the same dialect coach. Giamatti and Sewell sound like they’re about to inquire whether or not they can suck your blood, Norton apparently had a head cold for the length of filming, and Jessica Biel has so few lines that I couldn’t actually tell whether or not she bothered with an accent.

The movie takes place in a Vienna of some prior year, when the women were busty, the men were sulky, and everything took place in sepia tone. Events begin speedily, with Edward Norton being arrested in the middle of a magic performance featuring some sort of spirit and Paul Giamatti expositing things to the aforementioned mustache and Rufus Sewell. We learn that Mr. Norton is a magician of wide renown who has been performing shows in Vienna recently, when, son of a gun, he ran into his childhood sweetheart, from whom he was tragically separated for not having grown any facial hair yet. The adult Norton returns fully bearded and ready for action, only to discover that his former lady is engaged to Sewell. Norton does little more than sulk throughout, which still makes him a better candidate than Sewell, who we learn is an abusive alcoholic with a half baked plan to seize the throne from his father the emperor. Realizing that Sewell is not, actually, a very good bet as a husband, Biel reconnects with Norton and havoc ensues. Who will win in the end? Can it be Mr. Mustache the alcoholic, or the sulky yet clever magician?

We all know the answer going in, but the Illusionist still manages to have its charms. Giamatti, as usual, is quite good and manages to give an underwritten character a great deal of personality. Norton is quite often a magnetic performer, but seems to have forgotten to emote. His magic performances, clearly the centerpiece of a movie about a magician, do little to endear him. His world weary stage patter doesn’t seem like it could keep anyone’s attention and his melancholic shows are odd at best. Call me childish, but I wanted to see a little more magic. For someone who’s supposed to be as successful as he is, he does very little to show how he got there.

Luckily, sepia toned costume dramas featuring magicians have to be at least a little entertaining and it is fairly fun to watch everyone sulk their way to the conclusion. Granted, the final twist is not so much a twist as a long giant parade of people chanting “Here comes the twist! The twist is happening soon! Don’t you see the twist? Here’s another hint!” Not a bad way to spend the afternoon, but if you find, like me, that you wanted a little more out of this one, never fear. Another magician movie approaches, this one featuring two magicians played by Batman and Wolverine.

If all else fails, at least remember the moral of the story: if you find yourself trapped into marriage to a jerk, sleep with an old childhood friend and let the men sort things out.

Bonus Review
Smells I Smelled During My Recent Viewing Of “The Illusionist”
By Lisa Weidenfeld

Popcorn. Popcorn and…no, just popcorn. Man, I really wished I’d gotten some popcorn before the movie started. And is that a slight hint of ass? I believe it is. I’m glad I didn’t order any of that before the show, but someone clearly did.

respond to Lisa here