Illusion

This is one of those stories that just adds up. I saw this at the Palm Springs film festival and was of course impressed by Kirk's performance but was impressed even more so by the nature of the story. Based on a french play, the conceit of the piece is clever and resonant. We would all like the opportunity to rewrite something about our lives, this takes that idea and the idea of love showing itself regardless of distance or time to a new level.

I think this is a great piece for families. While the audience I was with was rather old there is nothing in this that would not appeal to anyone who has a father, with whom they might have a difficult relationship or for that matter anyone with a child.

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.

This film is wonderfully moving and beautifully crafted. Kirk Douglas's performance was near perfect as the hard-headed businessman producer, a man's man, who has an experience that penetrates to the depth of his vulnerabilities. The scenes between Douglas and Ron Marasco as Stan are wonderful with captivating and moving performances on both sides.

Writer/director Michael Goorjian was nicely understated in his role as Douglas's son and Karen Tucker was charming as Isabelle.

We need more of this type of film. It has an uplifting message that leaves one smiling. It could have easily become saccharine and sentimental but does not. It made me smile.

We saw it paired with the short, "The 100% Perfect Girl" by Greg Boudreau, a marvelous combination.

If you were disappointed with 'Pride and Prejudice', fell asleep during 'The New World' and tried to get your money back from watching 'Elizabethtown' then you will be very well entertained by illusion. I was hooked about seven minutes into it when Mr. Baines (Douglas) reveals his notion of what romance is in film and literature. 'Illusion' only continues deliver. There are nougats of wisdom spread throughout an aesthetically rich canvas. Whenever there is a brief moment where you feel a line is too cinematically familiar there will be this raw emotion spilling out and for the first time you believe the words, because you feel the pain. The film is thick with visual and auditory nuances that make this movie a must-see-again, (i. e. notice how Cristopher always carries that same wallet in the same pocket and his pants will always be more worn in the same corner). There are mini-movies inside the movie each so different from the other yet with reoccurring themes. Plus, the soundtrack was awesome, even though I didn't recognize any of the songs. Oh, and also Christopher aged seamlessly. Lately it seems as though American film has had yearning for the extreme. As if the only ones worthy of their story being told on screen are those uncommonly brave in extraordinarily difficult situations who decide to take the difficult route. This is a film about average people who are in coincidental but plausible circumstances and who take the easy way out most of the time. These are things we all do. This is a story we have all lived; what makes this story special is that it was told by a spectacular cast and overseen by an incredible director with a vision of where American Cinema should be heading.

What a wonderful movie. I loved it so much that I never want to see it again, but I know that eventually I will pick this movie back up and watch it again. I know what you're thinking, She's crazy what's she talking about? What I am talking about is simply this, the movie made me laugh, it made me cry and it made me think all about the things that I did in life up until now. It made me think about those I left behind and or whom left me behind. It made me feel things that I did not want to feel, that I thought I had l gotten over. I do not think that I could handle watching this movie again, but I know eventually I will give it another watch or two, or three because it was that great. I loved it.