At Eternity's Gate

Not one for me. I will say that Willem Dafoe is terrific, undoubtedly. His performance in <em>'At Eternity's Gate'</em> was honestly the only part of this 2018 release that kept my interest piqued. The support cast don't do anything wrong but don't really illuminate the film for me either. It has its heart in the right place, but as a film I didn't enjoy it. The main thing that bothered me was the camera work all around, just absolutely needless shaky cam that adds zero to what's going on onscreen - it even distracts from the main event, for me at least. It is noted that, away from that, visibly the film does look neat. I am admittedly not into art ('twas my least favourite subject at school, in fact), though even so I expected more from this. I am happy for Dafoe that this was positively received as his showing merits high praise, but it won't be one I'll be revisiting any time soon personally.

This is a great little biopic looking at the latter stages of the life of an hugely creative but flawed human being. Willem Dafoe really does offer up a convincing performance as Vincent van Gogh - he encapsulates both the creative and temperamental madness of this genius artist wonderfully; and there is even a passing resemblance. Rupert Friend also delivers well as his increasingly stretched benefactor brother Theo and Oscar Isaac is likewise strong as Paul Gauguin, with whom van Gogh has what can only be described as a turbulent and competitive relationship. Julian Schnabel has something to be proud of here with an intimate and emotional depiction that's prudent with the dialogue and the cinematography is first rate too.