Accomplished but understated

Rating: Null/10 (6 March 2007)

Adapted from a short story by Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Steven Millhauser, this is the kind of accomplished and classily-shot but understated movie that I suspect more people will see on DVD and television than at the cinema. Essentially it is a passionate love story, set in the Austro-Hungarian Empire of the late 19th century, between the eponymous magic man Eisenhaum (Edward Norton) and the beautiful and aristocratic Sophie (Jessica Biel). Attempting to block such a union is the Crown Prince Leopold (Rufus Sewell) and his intelligent police inspector Uhl (an able performance from Paul Giamatti).
The illusions are integral to both the look and narrative of the film and the great illusionist Ricky Jay was technical adviser on the work by director Neil Burger, as he was on the recently-released movie "The Prestige" (directed by Christopher Nolan). Since I know the Czech Republic so well, I was almost distracted by the wonderful locations of Prague, Tabor and Cesky Krumlov, while Dick Pope obtained an Academy Award nomination for his wonderful cinematography. Meanwhile the score from Philip Glass, while not as compelling as that for "The Hours" is not as intrusive as that for "Notes On A Scandal".