Interesting, engaging and emotional drama

Rating: 8/10 (4 May 2020)

The rare Red Violin is up for auction in Montreal. Through a series of five different stories, dating from different periods of time, ranging from 1681 to the present, we see the history of the violin and how it touched the lives of many people.
Great drama. The five stories are interesting in themselves, as independent tales. Quite engaging and emotional at times. The fact that the violin links all these stories together just makes it even more interesting.
We also have the investigation into whether the violin is the real item. This makes for intriguing viewing as it is like a police investigation.
Not perfect though. The ending feels a bit lacklustre: I was expecting something more profound but instead the writer and director went with a more mainsteam conclusion. In addition, Samuel L Jackson, action star, seems miscast as the violin appraiser. I guess he was there for the star power, to get audiences in the door. He is not terrible, but a decent dramatic actor would have done a much better job.