Girl With A Pearl Earring

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Girl With a Pearl Earring

Better than most films out there, but not perfect

The shimmering city of Delft leaps from the pages of Tracy Chevalier's delicately descriptive novel onto the screen in the film 'Girl With a Pearl Earring'. 17th century Holland is recreated with breathtaking splendor. From the folds of the dresses to the attitudes of the day, the film stays in character and does not add Hollywood gimmicks to modernize the tale. Servants are servile and illiterate, though not necessarily unintelligent. The titular teenage maid does not have an insolent attitude.
Scarlett Johansson plays the young Griet, the daughter of a former tile painter who is sent across town to serve the Vermeer household. Johannes Vermeer (Colin Firth), a painter, is drawn to Griet's quiet loveliness. Though few words pass between them, their mutual eye for aesthetics develops into strong attraction and deep appreciation. Her pure complexion also attracts Vermeer's vulgar patron, Van Ruijven (Tom Wilkinson) and the young butcher Pieter (Cillian Murphy).BR>BR>Each frame is a painting within itself, supported by a charming score (though some have called the music obnoxious). Though every scene is beautiful, Griet's position is not romanticized; her arduous labor is evident throughout the movie. Instead of altering the story to conform to a 95 minute film, sections of the story are simply deleted or unexplained. Particularly the character of Tanneke is underdeveloped, compared to the book character.
The acting is dramatic yet understated. Expressions are affectively portrayed without losing subtlety. Johansson expressively displays the young, almost timid side of Griet. Colin Firth is an attractive Vermeer; he has natural and exciting reactions. Tom Wilkinson is surprisingly low key as Van Ruijven, compared to the character in the novel; however, he still manages to be repulsive. Essie Davis's performance is also a standout as Vermeer's insecure wife, Catharina.
'Girl With a Pearl Earring' establishes its setting in an unforgettable light, and the story has enough magic to satisfy the patient viewer. Might I add that Cillian Murphy is beautiful.

Modest, well-crafted story of 17th Cent social relationships

I rather liked this little movie. It's beautifully filmed, well-crafted, evokes a nice sense of time ; place, has believably restrained performances by the entire cast (though Tom Wilkinson is a bit heavy-handed), and offers a plausible (if entirely conjectural) story about Vermeer and the subject of his luminous painting. Colin Firth's Vermeer is a weak householder enraptured with the new maid, Griet (Scarlett Johannson), who is not only lovely but also shares his ability to see the beauty in things. Their performances are competent, but neither is given much to work with in the screenplay. The real star performance is given by Judy Parfitt, absolutely splendid as the Machiavellian mother-in-law who keeps her daughter's jealous temper in check, while manipulating artist, patron, and servant to ensure the survival of her home and family.P>Though Griet is not a very forthcoming character, we have no doubt about her virtues and find it easy to sympathize with her plight as a powerless young woman anxious to avoid becoming the prey of a powerful would-be protector. The story is hardly new, but it's told fairly well in this film. Director Peter Webber is content simply to show the conditions of her life and not insult our intelligence with needless editorializing.
I would give it 3 1/2 stars if possible, for I liked it's craftsmanship and Parfitt's performance very much, yet the story is slight and its aims rather modest. Still, it's significantly superior to the boring amalgamations of explosions, car chases, gunplay, irresponsible sex, sophomoric repartee, stock characters, and stale plot elements that masquerade as entertainment at most cineplexes these days. GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING is a movie made for literate adults, not for teenaged-boys challenged by anything more subtle than Quake III, and well worth at least 3 solid stars.

Superb

This was one of the best movies that I've seen in years. A magnificent, sensuous, and yet amazingly subtle film.

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