Review of Everything Is Illuminated (2005) by Harry E — 30 Jan 2011
How much creative control did Gogol Bordello have over this movie? I can't see how playing that loud 'Start Wearing Purple' song over the end credits would in any conceivable way serve the emotional quality the film seems to want to evoke.
The film itself isn't great. There's memorable art direction with a striking color palette, but the movie's aesthetic is a little too showy. The offbeat tone of the film feels contrived, and the emotional scenes don't quite ring true -- they display sentimentality more than anything else.
The pervading air of detachment isn't organic; though the journey is rather engaging, what we have overall is a film with an eye-catching artificial veneer but lacking authentic heart. It feels hipsterish, basically.
Alex's fractured English is very amusing, though.
This review of Everything Is Illuminated (2005) was written by Harry E on 30 Jan 2011.
Everything Is Illuminated has generally received positive reviews.
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