A good little mystery with some very nice acting.

Rating: 7/10 (10 August 2006)

Although I spotted the inevitable conclusion coming about half way through the film (Jessica Biel and Ed Norton are discussing a possible future together; her pragmatic analysis of what would need to take place set off alarm bells for me that ultimately proved my instincts correct), it is a testament to the film that I was still engaged enough to see how all of the pieces in the story would fall into place. 'The Illusionist' is a fairly decent example of a script that sets up a certain number of expectations and then toys with the outcomes before knocking them all down like dominoes.
There are three main reasons to watch 'The Illusionist.' The first reason is that the script isn't too bad. I was with a group of friends. Two of us guessed correctly how the film was going to develop. The other five were quite surprised by the film's ending. None of us were disappointed and the film got an ovation from the audience when it was over. I would describe 'The Illusionist' as a mystery or a puzzle. If you like films that make the grey matter between your ears do a little work, you might just find yourself pleasantly surprised -- that said, there isn't anything so taxing here as to make the film overly complex or convoluted.
The second reason to watch this film is the involvement of Ricky Jay. He's in the credits for consultation and as one of the best magicians working today in Hollywood, it is worth your time to take a look at the film to see some of his influence. I'll be interested when this comes out on DVD to find out the degree of involvement. If the producers were smart, they probably listened a lot to a man who is in the Guiness book of World Records for his use of playing cards as weapons! My third reason to recommend 'The Illusionist' is some excellent work from the three main male leads: Paul Giamatti, Ed Norton and Rufus Sewell. As a qualifier, let me add that Jessica Biel does a pretty good job too -- I just found that the energy and zeal with which her male counterparts performed ate up the screen and left her adrift. There's a little joke in there you might find funny after you've watched the film. Ed Norton is very controlled and restrained here, Rufus Sewell seems to relish every scene he's in with villainous delight and Paul Giamatti shines as the police inspector with a taste for amateur magic. Giamatti has a gift for facial expressions and, as a friend of mine hilariously put it, in his final scene his facial expression is 'six degrees of crazy.' I love that! These are three compelling performances and although you might see your way through the contrivances of the script, the good performances should be more than enough to keep you entertained.
'The Illusionist' isn't bad. A good little mystery with some nice acting all around.