Film: The Illusionist

Directed by: Neil Burger

Year: 2006

Screenplay by: Neil Burger

Starring: Edward Norton, Paul Giamatti, Jessica Biel, Rufus Sewell

A teenage son of a cabinet maker and a young Duchess fall in love. The problem is, they're from completely different classes. So, their love is forbidden. Sound like a stupid, typical run of the mill Bollywood film? Well, it's not.

For one, there are no stupid dances that break out for no reason. Plus, there's actually a plot, a clever, well-written one.

This is turn of the century Vienna, when Emperor Franz Joseph rules Austria and Europe was waiting for a spark to set the whole world on fire. Franz Joseph's heir Leopold (he doesn't exist, made up for the movie) is mad about with the Duchess and will marry her, no matter how she or anyone else feels.

The son of the cabinet maker disappears and returns years later as a grown man, one so different that the Duchess doesn't even recognize him at first. He is now an accomplished Illusionist, and manages to fool everyone.

Leopold envies him because he's more clever and more charismatic than he, and Leopold is used to getting what he wants. So he sends his police man, played by Paul Giamatti, to collect dirt on him.

What works? Paul Giamatti. As much as I hated Sideways and found Cinderella Man to be a bore, Giamatti redeems himself for his splendid performance as the policeman torn between duty to the Heir and the truth.

Edward Norton played a fine performance as well, and I have forgotten how accomplished an actor he is. He plays Eisenheim, the gifted Illusionist, brilliantly. He plays him with poise, with charm, and shows his obsessiveness. I like a complex protagonist, and Norton pulls it off.

The story has its twists, which also work, with the right amount of narration by Giamatti's character that explains what needs to be explained without talking down to the audience like Spielberg tends to do.

No, it is not a cinematic masterpiece, and you will not rate it in your top twenty movie list (unless you haven't seen a lot of films), but it was good for what it was. Its strength was its storyline and two main actors. They managed to create the movie for only $17 million, and the sets worked. Watch it and enjoy it. Just don't expect to remember it ten years from now. Overall, a charming tale. 7 dead zombies out of 10