Loving Vincent is a niche film. It is a love letter to the founder of modern art. It is brilliant. Now, the critics see this film through a different lens. The critics seem to place it between average and bad. While popular opinion places the film in the 8 range (or above). Lots of films experience this dichotomy of opinion. I think film critics get lost in their own elitist ideas on "art" and forget the joy people get from the magic of cinema. That said, this is probably the best film I have seen this year that won't get an Oscar. But awards tend to be self-celebratory. Hollywood's opportunity to pat itself on the back. Awards are not the measure of a film. So I will share my impressions of this amazing film.
Loving Vincent is the first feature film to be entirely constructed of oil paintings. Not an easy feat. To create a seamless experience using painted media is nearly impossible. When you employ 125 artists to create the effect, you are also going to experience a diverse set of interpretations of VanGogh's work. I enjoyed this film on two levels. First, as its own work of art. Second, as a story. The art elevates this film drastically. Because art is subjective, I found I enjoyed certain artists more than others. I have no idea who the artists were, but you could distinguish the scenes based on the interpretation of VanGogh by different artists. The style of VanGogh was consistent throughout the film, but the interpretations still fluctuated within that style of painting.
The story is presented as an investigation of sorts, which take place a year after VanGogh's death. The son of a postmaster who was close friends with the VanGogh's has a letter that VanGogh wrote to his brother shortly before his death. In attempting to deliver the letter, the Postmaster's son learns about VanGogh through short vignettes as related by people who knew the artist. Little by little, the pieces of VanGogh's life are woven together through memories shared by friends and acquaintances. With cinematic flair, the flashbacks are portrayed as black and white, but painted as the rest of the film. The story weaves known facts about VanGogh with a bit of artistic license to create a bit of depth. The story itself was slow at times, but I was mesmerized by the artistic styles and didn't much mind the pacing. It was satisfying enough just to watch.
The artists also captured the actors who portrayed the voices with enough clarity that I recognized many of them on sight. Chris O'Dowd as the Postmaster, Jerome Flynn as Doctor Gachet and Helen McCrory as Louise. There were a few other names, like Saoirse Ronan that rounded out an impressive cast. The dialogue was a bit muted, but the actors did a good job with their lines. It was interesting to see these actors rendered in oils with an eerie life breathed into it. The artists accepted the challenge to add difficult elements like water, mirrors and even reflected glass to the imagery. It was handled deftly. I was often in awe at the effects achieved with paint and motion. I didn't like all of the artists equally, but it was all amazing to watch.
Loving Vincent is an interesting combination of cinema and art. It would have been easy for an undertaking like this to have become pretentious. But the balance was effective to me. I enjoyed the visual qualities of the film apart from the story itself. The story was not bad at all. Not exceptional, but elevated by the art. While art is subjective, I found myself immersed in some of the imagery. It gave me an appreciation for oils that one simply cannot get from a still painting. The effects were carefully crafted to take advantage of motion pictures creating some delightful eye candy. I really enjoyed this film more than its individual parts. It's a love letter. It's art. It's a story. Together, it was a unique, interesting and engaging film. This film may not win any awards. The critics don't seem to love it. But audiences are giving it far more love than the critics. I am with the popular vote on this one. 9/10. Catch it at the theater if you can.