A Beautiful Movie.......BUT.....

Rating: 8/10 (20 August 2006)

In spite of its beautiful cinematography, a very mannered script, and excellent acting, I really have to ding it for its mediocre plot. It seems to 'climax' about the middle of the movie, and you think "Okay, what's next?" Eisenheim continues to perform tricks, and is obviously working towards SOMETHING, and you keep thinking, "This is going to be good". Then, about 3/4 thru the movie, Police Chief Uhl comments that he KNOWS Eisenheim is tricking the public into believing all these illusions. Okay. So by the time the actual climax comes around, you're like "Uh, we've already gone over that......haven't we?" The director said it was from Uhl's point of view, yet Uhl figured it out early on in KNOWING that Eisenheim was 'tricking' his public.
But a BEAUTIFULLY-FILMED movie, the acting was superb, Paul Giamatti never ceases to amaze me with his acting range. He can play anything! And somebody correct me if I'm wrong about the plot.......I was just kinda let down. Oh, well, I definitely will get the DVD! Rod in Houston