Through Painting, an Artist Makes His World Come Alive

Willem Dafoe in "At Eternity's Gate"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

Whenever you visit a museum, it's impossible not to be overwhelmed by the wealth of artistic achievements that have become immortal.  To stand and analyze a painting or sculpture can offer a rich experience for anyone who's lucky enough to be surrounded by such works.  The ideas that these artists put to realization allow us to wonder what sparked such bursts of imagination.

Director Julian Schnabel gifts us with this opportunity in his latest film, "At Eternity's Gate," a striking drama that lets us see the world through the eyes of one of the world's most renowned painters.

The story follows Vincent van Gogh (Willem Dafoe) during his time living in Arles and Auvers-sur-Oise, France, where he tries to create works of art that will ensure his legacy.

Dafoe gives one of his finest performances as the tortured artist.  It's an impassioned portrayal of an individual who can't imagine doing anything else other than painting, and to see the concentration that Dafoe exhibits for his character as Vincent paints gives us a look at one of the greatest creative minds at work.  He conveys van Gogh's love for making his ideas come alive, having us feel the passion that he feels whenever he turns a blank canvas into something beautiful.  As the film goes on, Dafoe invites us into van Gogh's mental anguish that causes him to be viewed as an outsider in his community, making us see the coexistence of his artistry and inner troubles, with the latter never preventing him from doing what he loves, but instead acting as somewhat of an inspiration for what he should paint next.

Within the first hour of the film, there are a couple of occasions where there's a segment that lasts for a few minutes and doesn't contain any dialogue.  In these scenes, it's just van Gogh immersing himself in the outdoors and looking for his next idea, and Dafoe shows the intense gratification of being in the open with the wind his face and the ground beneath him and letting the beauty of the natural world be his guide.  Van Gogh mentions a couple of times how he sees reality in a different way from others, and in these scenes, Dafoe shows that his character is in his own world, experiencing the tranquility that surrounds him and influences his art.   

The screenplay by Schnabel, Jean-Claude Carrière, and Louise Kugelberg offers a detailed view of van Gogh that places us right into his life and how he lives it.  Aside from the aforementioned segments of van Gogh painting and exploring the outside for ideas, the film also has many intimate conversations between van Gogh and other characters, such as artist Paul Gauguin (Oscar Isaac); his brother ,Theo (Rupert Friends); a priest (Mads Mikkelsen); his physician, Paul Gachet (Mathieu Amalric), and Madame Ginoux (Emmanuelle Seigner), the latter two of whom became subjects for van Gogh’s paintings.  Through these exchanges, the narrative provides us with an abundance of insight in regard to van Gogh, such as from where his ideas come, what's going on inside his head, and his desire to be remembered.  Each of these conversations is several minutes long, allowing for the characters to make an impact, even if a couple of them only appear for a scene or two. 

By Schanbel teaming with cinematographer Benoît Delhomme, the two offer some of the best camerawork that I'm seen all year, bringing us a fascinating look into van Gogh's existence with a mix of point-of-view shots, handheld camera movements, and intimate closeups.  The point-of-view shots provide us with an opportunity to see the beauty of the world as van Gogh sees it, making you feel as though you're living a different life as you're watching these images.  With the movie having been shot on location in Arles and Auvers-sur-Oise, you’re able to experience the gorgeous wonder of those lands as van Gogh takes them in.  It's because of these images that you must see this movie on a big screen.

The handheld photography allows for the camera to move with a freeness as van Gogh explores the outside world and all of the inspirations that it holds for an artist.  It also serves the purpose of giving us an idea of what it's like within the mental turbulence of van Gogh's mind, making us feel the disorientation that always seems to follow him.

The use of closeups, such as the ones on van Gogh, let us see the thoughts that are racing through his mind as he loses himself in his work.  When it comes to his paintings, the closeups of his portraits bring us into the colors that he's placing on his canvas, showing us the texture of the paintings and the closer details of van Gogh’s subjects.

Schnabel, who's also a painter, not only presents the film as a tribute to van Gogh, but also as a celebration of the world of painting and what it holds for anyone who feels compelled to pick up a brush, exemplifying the therapeutic nature of sitting in front of a canvas and letting your ideas run free.

Just like eternity itself, the beauty of "At Eternity's Gate" is boundless.

Grade: A