Modigliani

The story of Modigliani is well-known. However, this film gives it life with a wonderful script, amazing cinematography, and mind-blowing performances by Andy Garcia and Elsa Zylberstein, a little-known French actress. I was glued to the screen from start to finish and have recommended it to everyone. If this film, Garcia, and Zylberstein don't receive Academy Award nominations, there's something wrong with Hollywood... at least more than is already wrong with it.

Run don't walk to the nearest theatre showing "Modigiliani". Forget the mega-publicized studio films being released now (Winter 2004-2005). See it while you can. It's a true find, and one that will stay with you long after you left the theatre.

I'd give this movie an award for the best imperfect movie I've ever seen or the most impressive movie that has grown on me as I watched it or the movie with the most clichéd ridiculous first hour that gradually picked up its momentum and become a film of rare beauty and incredible power. As the title suggests, this is a film about time and life of one of the most charismatic Artists of the last century, Amedeo Modigliani (1884 - 1920). Last April, I visited a wonderful exhibit of his works in The Phillips Collection at Washington DC that hosted nearly 100 of his paintings, sculptures, and drawings on loan from U.S. and international collections. Modigliani's style is so unique and striking distinguished by strong linear rhythms and simple elongated forms that it takes only seeing couple of his stunning, sensual and aesthetical portraits to never forget him. His name, "Amedeo", has such a beautiful and sad meaning, knowing the story of his short life. "Amedeo" means beloved by God, and he sure was, talented, charming, and charismatic. But as the saying goes, the ones whom the Gods love die young. Modigliani health was very poor, and his life style did not help it. He died from tuberculosis and meningitis when he was 35. His lover, his muse, and the mother of his daughter, 21 year old Jeanne Heubeten who was pregnant with their second child by the time of Amedeo's death, did not want and could not survive him. On the day following Modigliani's death, she threw herself from the window on the fifth floor and killed herself...You may say, "How melodramatic" but life sometimes is more dramatic than any work of art or literature.

The casting of 49 year old Andy Garcia as 35 year old Modigliani seems a little strange but Garcia did his best working with the material. There was a moment in the movie when he addresses someone, "What is the matter with you?" with such obvious Brooklyn accent that I felt like watching "Godfather, part 4 ½". Actually, most of the dialogs in the first hour or so were rather unintentionally funny. It seemed to me that the director tried different approaches to his film. Modigliani came from Italy – we see many times the parade of clowns on the streets of his native Livorno as the recurring image that could've came from Fellini's films. Then, film looked in Baz Luhrmann's "Moulin-Rouge" direction with the songs and music from different epochs (and I said to myself, oh please, no). Davis also compares Modigliani's life with that of another Amadeus, struggling genius – child from 18th century Vienna –the film brought a Mozart / Salieri theme with a successful and rich fellow painter who comparing to Salieri happened to be a very talented Artist himself - Pablo Picasso. So, for the first hour, the film struggled (almost as much as its protagonist) but then, something happened. The film's creator realized that the Artists are interesting not only because of their personal problems, weaknesses, struggles, preferences but first and foremost because of their talents, of their abilities to create, to look at the world like no one before them did, to capture their impressions in the forms and images that even after they are long gone make our hearts beat faster, make us say, "This is beauty, this is poetry, this is perfection". The scenes of incredible power just come one after another, the scenes with few or no words spoken at all. Among them, Picasso's and Modigliani's visit to one of the titans of 19 century, August Renoir in his country mansion. Renoir was shown as the old, wheel chair bound man who had to be spoon –fed by his nurse but who obviously had sharp mind and more wisdom than both Picasso and Modigliani together. Later, there was a long scene showing young painters - Chaim Soutine, Maurice Utrillo, Diego Rivera, Pablo Picasso, and Amedeo Modigliani working on their paintings for the Grand Prix de Peinture, the yearly art competition at the famed Salon des Artistes. Close to the movie's end comes my favorite scene – the opening of the Salon with the presentation of each painting – there is no rivalry, no competition any more – each work of art shines and every artist is happy to admit the talent and uniqueness of his fellow competitor.

So, what do I think of "Modigliani", the movie directed by Mick Davis? I enjoyed it and I would recommend it to others. Andy Garcia, who is not my favorite actor, won me over with his performance in spite of the problems (many) with the script. I've been always interested in the period of post War World 1 Art history when everybody who was anybody tried to be in Paris, the Art Mecca for many generations of Artists and the film's depiction of the Modigliani's contemporaries was interesting and made me want to research more about them. I'd like to see more movies with the actress Elsa Zylberstein who played Jeanne – her melancholic beauty, grace and talent are undeniable and helped to make the movie based on the Artist's life compelling, convincing, and remarkable.

P.S. According to Pablo Picasso's personal physician, the Artist who had survived Modigliani by more than 50 years, whispered his name on his deathbed.

It took a while for me to get into it, but by the end I really liked it a lot. It could have been more consistent and seamless--the casting was so-so. In the first part of the movie the intensity of the characters didn't come across, but as the movie progressed, especially near the end, their emotions were more convincing and believable. The music was possibly the most passionate and moving part of the whole thing -- I hope a sound track is released. I liked the sets, the costumes and filming was pretty good. The subject matter was of particular interest to me as I am an artist. It's probably not for everyone and definitely not for those who like formula, action films.

Colorful and engaging, albeit, self-important lengthy Bio-Pic. Acting values range from screaming to sublime. Artist portrayals are always difficult to convey on the screen, and in this case, a painter, comes across as self-serving, ultimately unsympathetic but full of great art. His oeuvre speaks volumes but his lifestyle, littered with latch key kid lacking, results in some sad and destructive behavioral patterns that he never could outgrow. Backstory handled effectively and the anti-semitic storyline brutally honest but ham-fisted by the script. The debauched artists are overwhelmed by pistols, pity and the tortured artist syndrome. The scenes between the Big M and Pablo Picasso are the most interesting because of the tension created by the actors in each of the scenes; but Diego Rivera is reduced to bows and grunts. Excessive use of blood overstates some of the violence and one of the characters spends all his time yelling, about anything and everything. The "age" of the baby bothered my gal-pal ("M's" lover is seven months pregnant and carrying a three month old in her arms...say what?!) and the bad guys are straw-men with blackjacks to wield. Although there are scenes of "M" studying the bone structure of his subjects and checking out the rain on his window pane his artistic inspiration may be too subtle for the cinema to effectively embrace, without including his bouts with booze and hash. Keep this guy away from mommy's purse, he's a man on binge mission. Of course how do you portray inspiration? That's a puzzle. Too bad, too, because ultimately "M" left me mostly unmoved and wanting to take a trip to The Prado; rather than watch a vain and valiant Andy Garcia doing his Leaving Las Vegas cocktail chug-a-lug tumble down the auteur hole of dipsomania and consumption. Not a pretty slide. Not since Steven Boyd sucked his last gasp in Ben Hur has a character expelled air with such profound pathos. The women are pretty pawns in the directors hand's and the Salon Artist Paint-off "Contender" sequence rivals March Madness in frustration, respect and triumph. The euro trash tune-age is redolent of Cirque Du...and the salon scenes are gaudy but filled to the brim with odd balls and period patches.

Has the film a USA distributor? And for who is the pic targeted? The Hitch and Robots crowds will have a hard time pronouncing the title let along paying ten bucks to walk through the doors of the local multiplex to catch this one. Wait till DVD, rent it; and then go to an art gallery.

I really liked the movie. it is beautifully shot and the acting is great and that also counts for the beautiful story of this painter. Sure, if you are not into 'art' movies this wont be something for you but if you like a movie that is not a Hollywood blockbuster and if you like Garcia, i'm sure that you will like the movie. Andy Garcia is far most the only 'star' in the movie but that gives the movie a certain amount of credibility. If there would have been to many A listers, the movie wouldn't have worked like it does now. Although the movie is set in the 1920-1930's there is also a modern part (the scene where everyone is painting their masterworks for the exibition with some lounge music on the background is gorgeous!). So if you want to see a true actor's movie check it out!