Review of Loving Vincent (2017) by Nicole M — 22 Oct 2017

Imagine a moving portrait questioning all the major figures from the end of Van Gogh's life about a year after his death, a la Citizen Kane. Add to that a (small) dash of mystery that emerges from these interviews, which begin to sound like scenes from an Agatha Christie novel.

That's the whole narrative of this film, but it's less than half the experience. Every shot shimmers as the scenes transform from a static view of one of Van Gogh's paintings to a more conventional "camera" image, albeit painted in V.G. style. It reminded me a little of the Monty Python animated shorts with famous paintings. It's a real treat, but many may have to sit far back because every part of the screen is quivering with small motions of bright colors.