The Illusionist (L'illusionniste) (2010) - 6 stars out of 10

The Illusionist (L'illusionniste) (2010) - 6 stars out of 10

"The Illusionist" is a downer but provides a unique insight into the tranformation of stage performances in the late 1950's. The story has its humorous moments, like its tongue-in-cheek portrayal of British rock bands, but maintains a serious tone as it explores the outcasting of certain types of stage performers from the entertainment industry. The film is unique, offering no more than two dozen isolated lines of dialogue in its entire 80 minutes. The rare occurrence of dialogue makes a statement about the ability of writers and animators to develop a character simply through mannerisms and the character's reaction to his surroundings. I probably would not watch this film again but it was refreshingly different from any film, animated or live action, that I have ever seen.