The Illusionist (2006)
Average Rating: 6.9/10
Reviews Counted: 186
Fresh: 138 | Rotten: 48
The Illusionist is an engrossing, well-crafted story of mystery, magic and intrigue that is certain to enchant, if not hypnotize, audiences.
Average Rating: 7.2/10
Critic Reviews: 42
Fresh: 35 | Rotten: 7
The Illusionist is an engrossing, well-crafted story of mystery, magic and intrigue that is certain to enchant, if not hypnotize, audiences.
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Average Rating: 3.8/5
User Ratings: 382,715
Movie Info
A supernaturally talented magician attempts to undermine the rigid social structure of turn-of-the-century Vienna by using his powers to win the love of his upper-class, childhood sweetheart in director Neil Burger's cinematic adaptation of Pulitzer Prize-winning author Steven Millhauser's short story. Though the ill-fated childhood romance between cabinetmaker's son Eisenheim (Edward Norton) and upper-class Sophie von Teschen (Jessica Biel) eventually resulted in the heartbroken young man
Cast
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Edward Norton
Eisenheim -
Paul Giamatti
Chief Inspector Uhl -
Jessica Biel
Duchess Sophie von Tesc... -
Rufus Sewell
Crown Prince Leopold -
Eddie Marsan
Josef Fischer -
Jake Wood
Jurka -
Tom Fisher
Willigut -
Karl Johnson
Doctor/Old Man -
Aaron Johnson
Young Eisenheim -
Eleanor Tomlinson
Young Sophie -
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All Critics (188) | Top Critics (42) | Fresh (138) | Rotten (48) | DVD (33)
The line between truth and illusion is blurred so persuasively that for a moment or two, you may even believe that a romantic costume drama could stand up to all those special-effects blockbusters in the dog days of summer.
Top CriticWith exquisite performances (Giamatti's, in particular), it leaves you thrillingly hovering, happily uncommitted to any one interpretation.
You may be temporarily beguiled, but not fooled.
What (director Neil) Burger and his colleagues have done is to entrance us with a richly acted, beautifully produced story.
Conjures up a world of mystery, romance and suspense.
The story may be less than credible, but the performances are mostly good, and Giamatti makes an especially strong showing.
Dark, dazzling turns by Edward Norton and Paul Giamatti, and Jessica Biel makes it achingly romantic.
A fond animated farewell to Jacques Tati
If nothing else, The Illusionist is worth watching solely for Giamatti's Oscar-caliber performance.
A wonderful period film first and secondarily an interesting mystery-romance that keeps you guessing about the big questions until late in the narrative.
Norton and Paul Giamatti perform wonders, but writer/director Neil Burger ruins the magic, exposing all of his story's tricks by the end.
Unabashedly old-fashioned and fantastically pulpy.
Straddles fascination and irritation
Director Neil Burger effectively evokes a sense of mystery and magic, but the plot grinds too methodically to match the dazzle of the title character's on-stage illusions.
An immaculate and utterly gorgeous murder mystery with the trifecta of wonderful direction, great acting, and a plot that twists and turns at every such occasion.
Never quite the sum of its parts, this would-be intelligent thriller coasts by on strong supporting performances from Giamatti, Sewell and Biel.
Just as two Truman Capote biopics came in subsequent Oscar seasons, so two period films about stage magicians appear with only winter to separate them. And, frankly, The Illusionist has missed a trick.
Despite its two strong lead performances and terrific visual verve, The Illusionist ends up as a great example of an overly ambitious movie that's not quite sure what it wants to be.
An early flashback scene indicates how The Illusionist might have played like The Princess Bride for the tea and scone set. Instead it's just a nobly acted stage mystery.
Norton looks tortured and old before his time as the humourless Eisenheim.
The acts are beautifully mounted, the four central performances are excellent, and the exquisite photography is by Dick Pope, Mike Leigh's regular cameraman.
Norton is superb as Eisenheim although his clipped Viennese accent grates occasionally and makes him sound like John Malkovich on a bad day.
In its unassuming way, the film shows that reality is more mystifying than illusion.
It's the terrific cast and nicely paced, weird tale that make this one worth the detour.
Audience Reviews for The Illusionist
Super Reviewer
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- Chief Inspector Uhl: You can't destroy him you know. You can't bring down the Monarchy!
- Eisenheim: I know I can't.
- Chief Inspector Uhl: Then don't raise her again! Don't provoke those questions! [short Pause] Eisenheim I don't want to arrest you. I'm a cynical man, God knows. But if your manifestations are somehow real, then even I am willing to admit you're a very special person. And if its a trick, then its equally impressive. Either way you have a gift, so don't make me put you in jail! Promise me you won't do it again!
- Eisenheim: I promise you, you'll enjoy this next show.
- Chief Inspector Uhl: What do you want?
- Eisenheim: Nothing.
- Chief Inspector Uhl: Then why bring her back?
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- Chief Inspector Uhl: They don't recognise you.
- Crown Prince Leopold: Keep your distance. I don't want to be seen with a Policeman.
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- Crown Prince Leopold: He has tricked you, it is all an illusion!
- Chief Inspector Uhl: Perhaps there is truth in this illusion.
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- Crown Prince Leopold: I know you have been with him!
- Duchess Sophie von Teschen: It has nothing to do with you.
- Crown Prince Leopold: It has EVERYTHING to do with me!
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- Eisenheim: I always meant to return... I just... I kept thinking I'll find around the next corner...
- Duchess Sophie von Teschen: What?
- Eisenheim: A real mystery. I saw remarkable things but the only mystery I never solved was... why my heart couldn't let go of you.
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- Crown Prince Leopold: And we'll gather our best minds next time. You'll really have a challenge then.
- Eisenheim: Then I shall prepare something special. Perhaps I'll make you disappear.
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Movie: ID: 268342306 Title: The Illusionist Release Date: 2006-08-18 00:00:00.0 MPAA: 3 Status: 1
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Foreign Titles
- The Illusionist (2006) (DE)
- The Illusionist (2006) (CA)
This was weird - a pretty bad movie with a half-decent ending.
Ed Norton was flat and his accent was laughable. Paul Giamatti carried this flick but... alas.