A beautifully filmed love story

Rating: Null/10 (7 May 2007)

Set in the turn of the century Vienna, The Illusionist is a beautifully filmed love story. Edward Norton("The Italian Job") gives another solid performance as the magician who falls in love with Jennifer Beals. Rufus Sewell("The Holiday"), gives an excellent performance as Crown Prince Leopold. Paul Giamatti("Sideways"), as Inspector Uhl, well, I confess that I don't understand his success in movies and Jennifer Beals really can't hold her own in this film with Norton and Sewell.
One of the cinematic tricks that really works in this film are the early scenes which are filmed like turn of the century Victorian photos complete with soft focus and oval matting. The present day scenes are equally well-filmed. Dick Pope ("Topsy Turvy") was the cinematographer.
This film has one similarity to "The Prestige" in that it is about magic but the two films are completely different on all other levels.
Philip Glass provides an excellent musical score.
An understated film that is very pretty to look at, has excellent acting, and an interesting story line although if you like mysteries you may see the ending coming long before the movie disappears. I recommend this film and it would be fun to see "The Prestige" with it as a double bill.