An Eye for Beauty

When a brilliant artist and an understanding subject share the same love of beauty, a unique masterpiece can be created. Girl with a Pearl Earring (2004) relates a simple story illustrating that point -- and does so with breathtaking cinematography befitting the life and times of Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer. Because of its slow pace, this period costume drama may not be to everyone's liking, but Colin Firth as Vermeer and Scarlett Johansson as the "girl" fascinated me with the depth of their performances here. He's the perfectionist artist; she's the quiet servant who mixes his paints and poses for him, much to his wife's dismay. 

It usually takes time to fully appreciate a great painting. One must view it from different angles, search out its particular shadings and touches of light, its balance of color and form, its emotional impact. The same holds true for this unusual film. Taking time to show viewers the sights and sounds of Delft, Holland, during the mid-1600s, Girl with a Pearl Earring seems like a Vermeer painting come to life. Scenes of inhabitants riding in gondolas on canals, shopping in the open markets, dining by candlelight, and carrying on everyday activities form the backdrop for the intense relationship between Vermeer and his peasant model -- a relationship blooming steadily under the watchful eye of the painter's greedy mother-in-law (played magnificently by the regal Judy Parfitt). 

Like Vermeer, first-time director Peter Webber and veteran cinematographer Eduardo Serra pay painstaking attention to the visual details of their creation. Based on the novel by Tracy Chevalier, Girl with a Pearl Earring may not be a true story, but it emerges as true cinematic art. 

Read my full review by clicking on the link below.
http://www.reeltalkreviews.com/browse/viewitem.asp?type=review&id=683