The Illusionist (Sylvain Chomet, 2010): France

Reviewed by Veronica Vanglin. Viewed at Lobero Theatre, Santa Barbara.

The Illusionist is a French animation about a magician who struggles to find work since the entertainment business is moving on from circus talent to pop and rock singers. It plays out in 1950s Paris, with very typical, stereotyped French characters from that time. I really enjoyed the setting and feel that it represents old Paris and all that comes with it. The characters hardly talk at all during the whole movie which I at first found very interesting and innovational, but after only hearing piano music and a few sound effects and foleys from someone walking my attention started to fade. The story is unusually strong and dialog is not necessary, but I believe twould have made the film even more powerful.  Sylvain Chomet, the writer and director of the film, was born in France but moved to London at an early age to get a job as an animator. Chomet has been working with the same people for a large part of his career, and The Illusionist is not a exception.

We get to follow a French magician (Jean-Claude Donda) who is being replaced by that generation’s obsession of  the innovation of rock bands.  No one seemed to appreciate magic anymore. He decides to go to Scotland and try to find work there and the Scottish are more than happy to bring him aboard. His new found success only lasts for a little while, but on the up side he meets Alice (Eilidh Rankin), a little girl who becomes a big fan and she decides to go with the illusionist back to Edinburgh. It is a beautiful but sad story about following your heart and not giving up. “Magicians do not exist.” is the last thing the illusionist tells Alice before he leaves Paris once again, because this is his realization that he can’t stay and try to do something that no one desires to see, but his heart is telling him to keep on searching.

The Illusionist is done in a traditional 3 act structure and relies on the strong script, story telling with visuals and the stereotypical figures. Voice-acting and dialog are not really mentionable since they are hardly used at all. This way of making a film reminds me a lot of Walt Disney’s classics. Even though The Illusionist is more delicately drawn, I had The Aristocats, a more cartoony production, in the back of my mind the entire time I was watching. It is due to the many similar elements that the movies have: they both take place in France, they both have a strong and distinct story and, last but not least, both films have very lovable characters.

I truly enjoyed The Illusionist even though I did miss some kind of conversations. I hope that you don’t get me wrong, it definitely had its charm, in that the characters had to show their emotions and thoughts with facial expressions and quirky movements, but I still think that the dialogue should have been there, minimized, but still existing. Except from that little pointer it is a funny, smart and a little emotional animation. Definitely a film worth while.