The Illusionist (2006)

In this romantic drama, Norton and Giamatti give fantastic performances as there characters (Eisenheim and Uhl) play a game of cat and mouse. The script is great, the acting (as per mentioned) is great and the cinematography is especially great. The biggest problem I have with this movie is you see the ending coming from a mile away but the ride to the ending is definitely a fun one. The score is also very beautiful and membroble. All in all if you like drama's the Illutinost is a must see.

OK, I will not be setting any spoiler's in here. But, I do suggest watching it at least twice, due to the end, WILL cause you to believe, that you missed something! Now, on to the rest of it. This movie, I had not seen, due to it not getting it's ads, like so many, that was no where near as good, as this was! The plot is, a carpenter's son, that has a passion for being a magician. Then he fall's in-love with the duchess, as they are childhood friends. The settings are set, back in the early 1800's, where they are using those beautiful horse's and carriage's. That seem to set the mood, while watching the movie. The music in the background also helps. Pretty much everything comes together as a great movie! Edward Norton plays his character seamlessly, with his stare and so much more! Jessica Biel plays her character perfectly, as well. She set's the set, with her energetic personality, to find what she has been missing, for years. While, she feels she has to hide that energy, around certain people in the movie! But, the one that surprised me the most, was not the 2, that played the 2 main role's. But the man, who played the chief of police, which happens to have an enthusiasm in magic tricks and etc. Paul Giamatti plays his role, like I have never seen him play his role's! He also did his character perfectly! Rufus Sewell, play's his character, just as well as the other's did! I mean, they acted together, as a whole, not as separate parts. But, to inter-mesh them all together, to form one simple plot. But, with force behind it! The way they set the stage's up(The movie stage's and the character's stage's.), they set them, to seem, like they were from back in the early 1800's! I give props to not only the main cast. But the carpenter's & etc, that built the scene's! They all worked together, like their live's depended on it! The energy behind the whole movie, with the whole cast, is like they loved playing the character's and building the set's! I give this movie an easy 10, for their work on it! They did not use a ton of special effects, that did not go with the movie, like so many other producer's would love to do, just to spice-up the movie's. This movie has all the right special effect's, that does go with the movie! Now, I do suggest watching this movie at least 2 times. So, you can catch everything! Until you literally watch the ending, you will not understand, how much you could truly miss, that first time watching it!

This is why God made the library. So I could see a mess like this for free.This is not a movie about magic. It's a period romance with a cross-class twist. Rich girls don't marry poor boys, Jimmy. Everybody knows that.Anyway, there's a lot of focus on costume and set, but the story is nothing compelling. We've been here before. I guess I was supposed to place more importance on the politics of the time, but I was busy skipping DVD chapters to get to the end with the Big Reveal.If you didn't see that coming, quit watching movies.I would write more, but it just isn't worth it. Remembering this horrible movie is making my brain hurt.

Magic aside, what is this really about? Why is European aristocracy mocked? The writer/director happens to be of Jewish ancestry, and the same goes for the protagonist of the film. This protagonist proceeds to conquer a pure-blooded German woman and ridicule and abuse not only German aristocracy, but the very royal family itself. And what does he do it with? Tricks. This trick of a film does not work on me. I see clearly what the filmmakers' motivations are and I find the film deeply offensive.Try and make it less transparent next time.Zero stars.