At Eternity's Gate (2018)

I've been a fan of Van Gogh for as long as I remember —I can't put into words how wonderful it was for me to see some of his painting in the National Gallery— so of course I wanted to see At Eternity's Gate. If you add Willem Dafoe's acclaimed performance, it turns into a movie impossible to pass for me. 

This biographical drama follows the final years in the life of Vincent Van Gogh (Willem Dafoe) during a self-imposed exile in Arles (South of France) and Auvers-Sur-Oise (near Paris, which is in the North) in which he developed his unique style and friendship with French artist Paul Gauguin (Oscar Isaac) while struggling with mental illness and people's rejection. 

Just like Vincente Minelli's Lust for Life, Julian Schnabel's At Eternity's Gate isn't entirely historically accurate, but that's not the problem here as, unlike Minelli's film, Schnabel's doesn't have an engaging and compelling story and the fractured storytelling, instead of adding to the movie, makes it only a tedious watch. It offers insights into his troubled mental state, but it doesn't do in a particularly interesting way. 

The other major problem with At Eternity's Gate is the cinematography. While at times the film is visually compelling and the colour palette is very reminiscent of Van Gogh's, the jumpy, shaky, blurring camera movements is beyond annoying. I get that Schnabel was trying to capture, portray Van Gogh's insanity with these shots but they don't last enough to leave a mark and basically do their job right. It doesn't provide any deeper understanding of his troubled mental state, it doesn't add anything to the thin plot, it only distracts from the story and it's beyond frustrating to watch. The ending isn't very good either, and the score is loud is overwhelming —I guess it fits with the cinematography pretty well.

CBS Films

The acting is the only redeeming aspect. Willem Dafoe gives yet another excellent performance in the role of Vincent Van Gogh. He truly delves deep into the soul of the tormented artist who was not understood by the people in his own time. Anxiety, anguish, depression, melancholy, you can read all that on Dafoe's face. Whether he's painting —he actually learnt how to paint for the role— or mumbling, or delivering the film's dreadful dialogue, he is incredibly fascinating to watch. Oscar Isaac does a nice job as Van Gogh's friend, Paul Gauguin, and so does Rupert Friend in the role of Van Gogh's brother Theo. The standout among the supporting cast easily is Mads Mikkelsen though —he doesn't get nearly the screen time he deserves, and yet he delivers a strong performance in the role of a priest.

Ultimately, if you are a fan of Willem Dafoe, definitely watch this. If you are not or you just love Van Gogh more than Dafoe, then watch Minelli's film or the stunning 2017 animated version, Loving Vincent.