Loving Vincent

This lovingly made film works with painted images, carefully directed voices of the actors and Mansell’s characteristically deep music eliciting a sense of fatefulness. Loving Vincent has the framework of a detective story with a gripping mystery and misleading questions, varied with the diverse characters whom the protagonist meets and made beautiful with poetic thoughts from the letters that van Gogh wrote before his death. The heart of the film comprises van Gogh’s life itself, his outsider existence tormented by self-doubt. His was an existence with exceptional perception of life and the ability to transform the positive face of his soul into works of art. His intimately dramatic story as a now celebrated artist is particularly attractive for viewers generally, and not only for people who feel misunderstood and naturally long for recognition and wider acceptance. The film concludes beautifully with the song “Starry Starry Night” performed by singer Lianne La Havas. (07/29/2020)

None of what makes this film an experience is fundamentally related to the film. The screenplay, where the protagonist walks in and out like a bad adventure movie and hears from various great thinkers "that's how it was back then", is terribly afraid to make any demands on the viewer, who is simply expected to be saddened and fascinated by what's unfolding in front of him. And that, to be honest, is hard to resist. It's a new kind of visual experience, that two-dimensional tangibility that beckons you to reach out and touch the ever-changing brushstrokes. It's a different kind of immersion in a cinematic microcosm that reminded me of little kids drawing detailed pictures of places they wish they were. (02/02/2018)

I'm giving the film three stars because I was excited by the idea of a film in the style of an animated oil painting. I liked the execution, but the story would have to be more intriguing for me to give more stars. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the case. I wasn’t all that interested in the quest to find out how Vincent van Gogh died, I was much more impressed by the visuals. (07/06/2018)

The animation in this film is truly unique, but it turns out that this is a film that can be watched for the story as well, as Vincent's last days are presented here as essentially a detective story about what happened, even if the outcome may not be fulfilling for everyone. Still, it's definitely a film that deserves attention. (02/08/2018)

I appreciate the excellent idea and the overall handling of the theme. The result is an absolutely unique work that is a breathtaking poetic tribute to Vincent van Gogh, a painting genius who was woefully underrated in his time. (90%) (10/03/2020)