At Eternity's Gate - Movie Review
At Eternity's Gate
Plot: A look at the life of painter Vincent van Gogh during the time he lived in Arles and Auvers-sur-Oise, France.
Cast: Willem Dafoe, Rupert Friend, Mads Mikkelsen, Mathieu Amalric, Emmanuelle Seigner, Oscar Isaac
Director: Julian Schnabel
Certificate: 12A (brief moderate threat)
Runtime: 110 minutes
Release Date: Friday 29th March 2019
When the nominations for this year's Academy Awards were announced, one nomination that slipped under the radar was Willem Dafoe earning a spot in the Best Lead Actor category for his portrayal as Vincent Van Gogh. Ever since then, I've been fascinated to see whether his nomination was worthy but what I didn't expect was for the film to be as astonishing as it was.
Detailing the final few years of Van Gogh's life, At Eternity's Gate focuses on the fragility of Van Gogh's psyche as well as his constant fear that his work will never find worthy appreciation. The life of Vincent Van Gogh is one of tragedy. Arguably one of the greatest painters of all time, he was overcome with paranoia, fear and a whole host of other anxiety related issues from his work never gaining the recognition it so richly deserved resulting in his eventual death never knowing the legacy he will create. What director Julian Schnabel incorporates effortlessly is the presentation of the insecurities Van Gogh experienced. Whether it be Van Gogh filling an entire gallery with his work only for the owner to demand they all be removed, or influential painters explaining to Van Gogh that his work will remain forgotten, Schnabel clearly indicates the toll this takes on Van Gogh, both emotionally and mentally. Whilst presenting a human story, Schnabel as a director transforms the luscious fields of the south of France and the beautiful cobbled streets in Arles into a dreamlike scape. Through the use of continuous close-ups and swooping handheld tracking shots, Schnabel implements a layer of intimacy so the audience can connect to Van Gogh and his situation.
Plot: A look at the life of painter Vincent van Gogh during the time he lived in Arles and Auvers-sur-Oise, France.
Cast: Willem Dafoe, Rupert Friend, Mads Mikkelsen, Mathieu Amalric, Emmanuelle Seigner, Oscar Isaac
Director: Julian Schnabel
Certificate: 12A (brief moderate threat)
Runtime: 110 minutes
Release Date: Friday 29th March 2019
When the nominations for this year's Academy Awards were announced, one nomination that slipped under the radar was Willem Dafoe earning a spot in the Best Lead Actor category for his portrayal as Vincent Van Gogh. Ever since then, I've been fascinated to see whether his nomination was worthy but what I didn't expect was for the film to be as astonishing as it was.
Detailing the final few years of Van Gogh's life, At Eternity's Gate focuses on the fragility of Van Gogh's psyche as well as his constant fear that his work will never find worthy appreciation. The life of Vincent Van Gogh is one of tragedy. Arguably one of the greatest painters of all time, he was overcome with paranoia, fear and a whole host of other anxiety related issues from his work never gaining the recognition it so richly deserved resulting in his eventual death never knowing the legacy he will create. What director Julian Schnabel incorporates effortlessly is the presentation of the insecurities Van Gogh experienced. Whether it be Van Gogh filling an entire gallery with his work only for the owner to demand they all be removed, or influential painters explaining to Van Gogh that his work will remain forgotten, Schnabel clearly indicates the toll this takes on Van Gogh, both emotionally and mentally. Whilst presenting a human story, Schnabel as a director transforms the luscious fields of the south of France and the beautiful cobbled streets in Arles into a dreamlike scape. Through the use of continuous close-ups and swooping handheld tracking shots, Schnabel implements a layer of intimacy so the audience can connect to Van Gogh and his situation.
FACT: Willem Dafoe is the second actor to be nominated for Best Actor at the Academy Awards for playing Vincent Van Gogh, after Kirk Douglas in Lust for Life.
However, at the centre of this ethereal escape into the colourfully tragic world of Van Gogh is a jaw-dropping display of acting by Willem Dafoe. Perfectly balancing between sensitivity and pained artist, Dafoe gives, quite frankly, one of the best performances of his prestigious career. Dafoe breaks down the mental state of Van Gogh into a heartfelt and relatable depiction of an artist struggling to find a sense of validation and fearing that those close to him will always abandon him leaving Van Gogh to a solitary and lonely life. Scenes in which Dafoe allows his portrayal of Van Gogh to crack and glimmers of his true self are able to seep through, such as whenever Van Gogh is describing his passion for painting (for instance; a remarkable scene featuring Mathieu Amalric) or Schnabel treats us to elongated and unexpectedly relaxing painting sequences, are some of the greatest and most tender moments of the whole film. As for the supporting players, despite admirably playing second fiddle to Dafoe, appearances from Isaac, Mikkelson and Friend all help elevate the scenes to a wondrous state.
At Eternity's Gate isn't a film for everyone. It's purposefully artistic, so as to reflect the surreal painter himself, and is by no means the most exciting films to experience, but through a masterclass from Dafoe and excellent direction from Schnabel, it perfectly honours one of the most legendary icons the world has ever seen.
Luke's Verdict: 9/10
What did you think of At Eternity's Gate? What is your favourite Willem Dafoe performance? Thanks for reading!!
FACEBOOK: https://m.facebook.com/LukeStapley26
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/stapleyluke/
Comments
Post a Comment