Review of The Burnt Orange Heresy (2020) by Kenr — 06 Jun 2021

This is undoubtedly a Stylish picture with good locations, performers, cinematography, and a strong, eerie music score, that actually adds more chills than some of the script elements. It’s interesting for a film about ‘art’ to quite honestly expose the charlatans and shonky dealings within this sometimes overrated & overpriced, business. Being an international co-production it unfortunately, indulges in some sensationalist type sex scenes, to bring together a couple of unlikely ‘partners in crime’. The first half offers some promise and intrigue between a shady con-man art critic, an obscure artist, and a somewhat immoral art collector - with greed and deception being their catalyst.

Problems begin to overshadow any possibility of the better elements of the story remaining in the foreground when the script gives way to a particularly nasty murder, and some clumsy attempts to cover it up - leading to an ultimately unsatisfactory resolution. Thriller fans may not mind the finale but those who look for more believable outcomes could be left disappointed. The participation of rock star Mick Jagger does little to advance him as a film star - beyond being an odd interest. The rest of the cast acquit themselves well, with what they have to work with.