MOVIE REVIEW: The Illusionist

As pretty as an illustrated Victorian storybook, The Illusionist takes an oft-told tale of love and twists it into an enjoyable and entertaining parlor trick. An eccentric, young peasant boy, who seems to have quite a bit of idle time on his hands to practice coin and card tricks, befriends an aristocratic, young girl, who when not riding gallantly on top of her fine horse, does not heed her parents opposition to mingling with peasants. Of course, at the behest of the girl’s parents, they are forcefully separated. The boy leaves town, off to wander places unknown and master the art of illusion.

This brings us 15 years later to turn-of-the-century Vienna, where the eponymous Eisenheim (Edward Norton) returns to his childhood haunt to excite the populace with his magic shows. At one of these shows Eisenheim finds Sophie (Jessica Biel), the girl he left behind. Now a Duchess, Sophie, may or may not be betrothed to Crown Prince Leopold (Rufus Sewell). This triangle is watched with increasing interest by the Chief Inspector (Paul Giamatti).

The story is also watched intensely by the viewer and this smart film makes it worth the effort. This typical love story - the assigned social order keeps two true lovers apart -could have easily overtaken and disrupted the film. It is a credit to director Neil Burger, who also adapted the screenplay from a Steven Millhauser short story, that how illusions, created by society or a magician, can be used to achieve love is more important than the minor distractions that being of a different class may present.

Like any good illusion, the impressive cast makes this appear easier than it is. All the leads bring nuances to their characters without letting those characters upstage the story. Giamatti’s Chief Inspector Uhl has muted strength, physically and mentally, and his own thoughts about societal labels. Giamatti does not look as dumpy in his period outfit and waxed Van Dyck, as he has in American Splendor and Sideways. He should be on the lookout for more pre-20th century roles. Norton, one of the most consistent actors working today, gives Eisenheim his usual intensity but offsets it with a knowing aloofness. This serves to make the viewer believe that, like any good illusionist, he has something up his sleeve. Biel provides an understated performance where she sometimes gets lost in her costume. This is unfortunate as she surprisingly did not seem out of place with the others but her character is not given more to do. Sewell is fine in portraying royal entitlement but his emotions and actions are dictated by others. One of the only minuses in the film is how Sewell’s Leopold is defined by the other three characters.

There are times, while watching this film, that one may wonder if this is all going to be just a familiar, good-looking, well-made waste of time. Or worse, will it succumb to its own cleverness and leave either too many questions unanswered or a supernatural mumbo-jumbo mess behind? It is with great delight to observe an intelligent film that aspires to challenge viewers and reward them with a satisfactory ending that is just as it should be.