Illusion

The concept of our lives somehow being recorded by some celestial camera and ready for viewing at Judgment Day is an old one. What distinguishes Illusion is that there is no judgment except the one in your own mind as life on this plane ends.

That's what is happening to legendary film director Kirk Douglas as his life ends. During some dream he's visited by the ghost of a former film editor passed away long ago. And they go to the movies and see a life of his estranged son played by film creator Michael Goorjian and his pursuit of the love of his life Karen Tucker.

In the end Douglas asks for a different ending to the film and some heavenly editing.

Illusions is an ambitious undertaking and while it doesn't totally succeed there's enough there for us to enjoy and appreciate life. God knows we all look back at things we might have done differently, would we could edit out portions of our lives. In fact I'm not sure of an autobiography exists where the author is 100% truthful.

Goorjian and Douglas give wonderful performances. And Kirk did come back to do one more. But I think in many ways this is an epitaph film for him.

This is an outstanding film that will probably be seen by very few people. It is a film festival type movie. That translates in this case to a movie that is thoughtful, well written and performed exceptionally well.

I found this movie and many others like it, including a lot of short films, through the Spiritual Cinema Circle, which I have recently joined. Illusion was on their monthly DVD - Volume 5 2007.

Illusion is a delightful departure from the computer graphics, violence, and sameness prevalent in current popular movies. If you are a true movie buff like me and want to enter the world of very different movies, this is a great place to start.

Are the highlights of our lives inscribed in a great "Book of Life?" What kind of impact do our actions (and inactions) have on others' lives? Can we redeem the past with good works in the present? Can a movie that takes on these deep questions be captivating, entertaining and inspiring … all at once? In his new film, Illusion, director/writer/co-star Michael Goorjian answers these questions with an emphatic yes! Illusion is a love story pairing Christopher Baines (Goorjian) with Isabelle (Karen Tucker) in a dance of thwarted intentions. But it's Christopher's father, Donald, played by the legendary Kirk Douglas in a luminous performance, who may hold the key to their future. Donald, on his deathbed, regrets having forgone love in his life for the sake of his career, his biggest regret being the abandonment of Christopher, his illegitimate son, 30 years earlier. With some "magical" help from Stan (Ron Marasco), a long- deceased favorite film editor, Donald is shown three films -- three visions -- each representing a different period of Christopher's life, each reflecting the impact of his abandonment. In a romantic homage to Capra's classic It's A Wonderful Life, Goorjian masterfully leads us through the yearnings, the dangers and pathos, and the possibilities for redemption that we all face. This is terrific storytelling, a drama of life, love and death, with a tone and texture that lead us all to question, how real and immutable is this life we lead, and how much of it is just a fable, a dream, an Illusion? A treat for heart and soul.

Before I get to discussing the plot of "Illusion", I should point out that the DVD, amazingly, is NOT captioned in any way (at least the DVD I saw). This is a serious problem not just for people like me who are hard of hearing because the film stars Kirk Douglas AFTER his major stroke....and it's very difficult to understand him without captions. It's a shame, as I am thrilled they'd hire a disabled man but you might struggle to understand the film at times.

Douglas plays an aging movie director who will be dying soon. One day, he has what you can only assume is a dream or vision. In this experience, a man (is he an angel?) transports the director magically to a movie theater...complete with a bed for the director. The man shows the director three short films.

The first shows the directors son, Chris, as a teen who is smitten with a girl. It's a tad creepy the way he follows her and the story ends after Chris goes through hell trying to get the girl. It also turns out that the director abandoned the son, long, long ago.

The second film shows Chris about a decade later. He and the girl have gone their separate ways. He is a goth who works for a very self-absorbed no-talent performance artist. One day the artist announces to Chris, his assistant, that he saw the most amazing woman on the street and Chris' job is to find her and invite her to a big event. He's also told if he doesn't find her, he's losing his job and not getting paid! When Chris tracks her down with the clues the artist gives him, he finds it's the same girl from the first film.

In the third and supposedly final film, you see Chris again...about a decade later. He's just being released from prison and goes to the old town looking for the girl. He cannot find her but is befriended by a nice guy (Bryan Cranston) who invites him to his house for a party. At the party, he sees the girl...but it appears that she's married to this nice man and has his child. But is this all? Is there, possibly, a fourth reel?

The film is both very surreal in style and existential as it asks questions about the meaning of life. Both make it a film that many probably might not like, as it's anything but a Hollywood style film. It is something that might appeal to folks who like the films of Ingmar Bergman as well as Kurosawa's later films, as these two famous directors were some of the few who did films that explored these issues. Overall, a truly unique and interesting movie...one that you really should see if you want something different...or if you don't mind exploring your life and life choices.

I saw the screening of this movie at the 2005 Sarasota Film Festival. The sold out theater LOVED this movie! Acting/story/directing was top notch. Mr. Goorgian charmed the viewers during the Q & A session after the screening. The story moved quickly and we couldn't wait to see the outcome. Mr. Douglas was excellent, but Mr. Goorjian stole the show with his acting. He stated that this film has strengthened the already solid bond between himself and his own father. "The best film of the Festival"...."It brought tears to my eyes"....."Excellent"....were some of the comments from film viewers. Every father and son should go see this movie.