Hey, all. Capone in Chicago here.
There is something sort of cheeky and wonderful about watching American actors who, in this case, are the best of what their generations have to offer, strut around in period clothes flinging around funny, vaguely European accents, and doing so while clearly chewing up every square inch of available scenery.
I’ll admit, watching Edward Norton and Paul Giamatti decked out in long coats and other fineries was a scream, and I kept waiting for Jon Lovitz to emerge from the side of the screen and proclaim: “ACTING!!! Brilliant! Thank you!” And don’t even get me started on seeing Jessica Biel in a tightly corseted frock. Ma-Ma. But will all of these frills be enough to keep you enticed in a tale about a magician who becomes embroiled in a dangerous romance that turns into a disturbing murder investigation? Mostly.
Set in turn-of-the-last-century Vienna, The Illusionist is the winding tale of Eisenheim (Norton), a conjurer who spends most of his time wowing the crowds with his tricks (some of which are clearly CGI, which is not in any way magical, but many seem to be genuine feats performed by Norton). But Eisenheim has an ulterior motive for being in Vienna: when he was a much younger man, he fell in love with a girl who showed him great kindness despite the fact that she was of a much higher social standing than he was. The girl grew up to be Sophie von Teschen (Biel), who is engaged to the clearly evil Crown Prince Leopold (I say “clearly evil” because he is played by Rufus Sewell, who has played variations on this character about a dozen times in the last year). When Sophie assists Eisenheim in a trick, she recognizes him, and their lives instantly start down a very dangerous path that leads to great tragedy.
Giamatti, who serves as our narrator and entry point into the wonder that surrounds Eisenheim’s performances, has probably the best role in the film as Chief Inspector Uhl, who walks a very narrow line between doing his job of keeping the peace and appeasing the Prince, who clearly had a hand in getting him his job. His is a curious and playful man, who is always prodding Eisenheim for his secrets, both in the realm of magic and in his intentions with Sophie. Seeing Giamatti playing a man of authority took a bit of getting used to, since he so rarely commands authority in other recent roles. I’m not even sure it’s a truly great performance, but I was never bored or disinterested in his presence.
The Illusionist manages to braid stories of Eisenheim and Sophie’s secret affair with local politics, magic, murder, and even a creepy ghost story, but not all of these elements blend as well as they should. Director Neil Burger (who also adapted Steven Millhauser’s short story “Eisenheim the Illusionist”) does a splendid job capturing time, place, and atmosphere, but his trickery and misdirections with the plot aren’t always nearly as mysterious or shocking as he thinks they are.
Eisenheim goes from being a magician to a medium later in the film, and I don’t think many audience members are going to think his séances are the genuine item. I remain a huge fan of Burger's first film Interview with the Assassin, an all-too-believable take on JFK’s murder, but he may have buried himself too deep in his many plot lines to make any one of them completely compelling or engaging.
There’s no denying the visual beauty of The Illusionist or the captivating acting; even the largely untested Biel does good work here. But in the end, there is something somewhat cold and disengaging about the film, and it never allows us deep enough into the hearts and minds of its players. With the exception of Giamatti, who seems to have taken it upon himself to draw a rich and explosive character when those around him are sometimes choking on their own haughty ways and good manners.
While I certainly wouldn’t dismiss the film’s many merits, I’m not sure I can wholeheartedly recommend the film either. There’s quite a lot to like here, but the entire experience may leave you cold and wanting.
Capone
