Enjoyment of Sylvain Chomet’s delightfully whimsical The Illusionist will likely depend a great deal on how well you know and appreciate the films of Jacques Tati.
As a big fan of Tati films such as M Hulot’s Holiday and especially Mon Oncle (which gets an in-joke poster gag in The Illusionist) I adored Chomet’s film which superbly captures the look, mannerisms and style of Tati.
This was all the more pleasing as going in I had no idea what the film was about. I had no idea of the connection to Tati or the fact it was adapted from one of Tati’s own un-realised screenplays. All I knew was it was the new film from the guy the made the wonderful Belleville Rendez-Vous. When the lead character appeared pre-credits sequence I thought “that looks just like Jacques Tati” but assumed it was a sort of animated cameo. Then once I saw the screenplay credit it became clear that I was about to essentially get to see a new Jacques Tati film in nearly 40 years.
And it didn’t disappoint. Starting out in a slightly similar manner to the Pixar short Presto! it then goes into a beautifully observed whimsical world of a magician struggling to find work as the variety circuit dies out in favour of rock ‘n’ roll groups, and his relationship to a young Scottish girl who in her naivety misunderstands an act of kindness for genuine magic and makes ever increasing demands on the poor man’s dwindling fortunes.
It is the kind of beautifully observed mix of humour and pathos that made Tati such a genius of universal appeal. Chomet’s palate and style perfectly compliment the tone of the story and it is impossible not to be swept up in it.
Any Tati fan will delight at this film. It is my feeling even those unfamiliar with Tati’s works (and if you are seek out the Hulot comedies now) will still love this film, but you never know.
**** (4 stars)
As a big fan of Tati films such as M Hulot’s Holiday and especially Mon Oncle (which gets an in-joke poster gag in The Illusionist) I adored Chomet’s film which superbly captures the look, mannerisms and style of Tati.
This was all the more pleasing as going in I had no idea what the film was about. I had no idea of the connection to Tati or the fact it was adapted from one of Tati’s own un-realised screenplays. All I knew was it was the new film from the guy the made the wonderful Belleville Rendez-Vous. When the lead character appeared pre-credits sequence I thought “that looks just like Jacques Tati” but assumed it was a sort of animated cameo. Then once I saw the screenplay credit it became clear that I was about to essentially get to see a new Jacques Tati film in nearly 40 years.
And it didn’t disappoint. Starting out in a slightly similar manner to the Pixar short Presto! it then goes into a beautifully observed whimsical world of a magician struggling to find work as the variety circuit dies out in favour of rock ‘n’ roll groups, and his relationship to a young Scottish girl who in her naivety misunderstands an act of kindness for genuine magic and makes ever increasing demands on the poor man’s dwindling fortunes.
It is the kind of beautifully observed mix of humour and pathos that made Tati such a genius of universal appeal. Chomet’s palate and style perfectly compliment the tone of the story and it is impossible not to be swept up in it.
Any Tati fan will delight at this film. It is my feeling even those unfamiliar with Tati’s works (and if you are seek out the Hulot comedies now) will still love this film, but you never know.
**** (4 stars)
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