The Illusionist (Sylvain Chomet, 2010): France

Reviewed by Katie Funk. Viewed at Lobero Theater, Santa Barbara.

The Illusionist made by director Sylvain Chomet, who also created the masterpiece Triplets of Belleville, is an incredibly moving film about an Illusionist struggling to make ends meet for a crowd that is more interested in Beatles-esque genre musicians rather than a dying breed of magicians. This film has an extremely different feel than Chomet’s other film Triplets of Belleville. It is more solemn, less upbeat, and leaves us with an air of sadness. The same type of format exists with mostly silence, a lot of hand gestures, and lots of music to give us the feel for what mood we are to be placed in. The visuals of the towns that the illusionist performs in are very well depicted. We were taken on a journey through Edinburgh, Scotland with cities nestled between massive green cliff-sides. Just the visuals of all of these places alone I felt that I was actually a part of Scotland or literally sailing the small boat into a tiny fishing town where loud music, dancing, and drunks were happily existing without a single care in the world.

Chomet has a keen ability to create humor out of silence, showing us the way of a different world we may  not have already known. Like a drunk as can be Scottish man scooting his butt across the floor and clearly being the illusionist’s number one fan. Throughout the entire film we want the magician to get his big break, to understand what the purpose of his need to spread magic on the world. What it appears is that after he takes on the care of a young peasant girl from the town where his biggest fan resides he stops working for his magic, for himself, and tries to please her with all the nice clothes and shoes that she becomes obsessed with. However magic does not make much money, and it is not the money that should drive one to make magic. For by the end of the film the illusionist seems defeated by his ability to make magic, and yet his inability to buy all the things that this little girl needs.

Chomet really does have a way with knowing how important the aspect of music is that plays in guiding the movie-goers emotions. We may all be sitting in silence but we are guided with up-beat songs displaying the emotion of the towns people. Or some music that is more solemn as we watch the illusionist’s heart breaking slowly over time defeated by his own inability to make the crowd excited about pulling a rabbit out of a hat. I got completely enveloped in emotion while watching this film and never wanted it to end. Sylvain Chomet has an amazing way with creating visuals that even though they are animated still make you feel like you are in a real life situation with real people that are experiencing raw emotions. The silence of the film allows the viewer to experience their own mind throughout, not guided with words by others but guided with pure emotion and empathy for the lives being displayed on screen.