The Eyes of Van Gogh

The legend of Van Gogh haunts the ages. What, we wonder, was behind those images. What did Vincent SEE??? The Eyes of Van Gogh will take you there - if you can learn to "paint the air".

Van Gogh wanted to push art beyond visual reality. He wanted to paint the air that we could sense but not see. He wanted to paint emotion. But his insanity stole reality from him. He couldn't tell what was real and what was a distortion of real. He fought the distortion with all his strength. He tried to capture reality by surrounding it with color. The distortions fought back, stealing his art equipment, surrounding him with darkness.

Alexander Barnett will take you into this fight - I said, take YOU INTO this fight. It's as close to insanity as you'll ever want to get.

AR

Mr. Barnett's ability to move us directly into the anguished reality of the genius who was Vincent Van Gogh is startling, unflinching, and profound.

He reflects to us the inexorable tragedy brought on by the deeply flawed relationship between the Van Gogh brothers, compounded by the confusion and bitter poverty of being unseen by his peers, misconstrued by the world at large. Yet no one was more in touch with the blazing pulse of creation than this tormented man, whose transcendent work has touched us all.

To be confronted with such a life, and such a film, is not for the faint of heart; like Van Gogh's restless and fiery art, Barnett's script is uncompromising -- and his acting powerful.

Some movies are entertaining. Others are an experience. Alexander Barnett's Van Gogh biopic definitely falls into the latter category. Far from "guilty pleasure" fare, "The Eyes of Van Gogh" is a skillful and passionate portrayal of a talented yet tortured artist. This movie will educate you about the world of this struggling genius, even as it compels you to feel compassion for Van Gogh in his sad state. Competition, debt, insanity, rejection--all of these themes swirl Vincent's reality much like the colors in his paintings...you'll be relieved to view reality for yourself again at the end. But if you let it, the movie may remind you of all you have to be grateful for, and even challenge you to look at your own life through slightly different eyes.

This movie will stir your soul. Barnett draws us in, leaving us emotionally drained, as he brings to life Vincent's struggles and what must have been his tortured state of mind during those dark years. We are immersed into Vincent's mind.

Also noteworthy, Roy Thinnes'performance as Dr. Peyron.

I thought the sets and costuming were too drab but that did not deter from the, at times, riveting performances on screen.

All in all, this is a noteworthy work. Hope to see more of Barnett on film. He comes across as well on film as he does on stage.

Would love to see some of his earlier work come alive on the screen.

Biographical films are problematic - especially the ones about artists. Not just painters. Any artist. Generally, I find them simplistic, sentimental or sleazy - on occasion all three at the same time. Often, the casting is silly. That is not the case here.

What's most important to me in a film is the acting and the writing. I agree with the other reviewers for the most part. Both are excellent in The Eyes of Van Gogh - most especially that of Mr. Barnett as Vincent, who is riveting and amazingly well cast. He also wrote the film script.

I was disappointed by the actor who played Theo - not that I've liked others who have played van Gogh's brother. But here - in the writing - he had an opportunity to show the torment Theo also must have experienced and could not manage it. I believe he died of brain fever shortly after Vincent died. Even though that is not part of this portion of van Gogh's life in the film, we should have sensed that coming. The actors playing the other roles were just fine - including many of the small ensemble.

This was obviously a labor of love for Alexander Barnett and I salute him.