Review of The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009) by Zombiehampster — 05 Nov 2010

If there is something to be said about Terry Gilliam, it's that he doesn't give a damn about trying to please his audience, and I love that about him. Depending on who you speak with, a director can be someone who must make a film that people would want to see or tell a story that they want to make.

The former seems to be the most commonly accepted way of film making as large sums of money are at stake and it would be very risky to do so. Terry Gilliam's approach is one that I love and feel is a breath of fresh air in that he tells some very interesting stories.

He has a way of capturing that sense of discovery and wonder that you (hopefully) got when you were a kid discovering something new. This movie to me is one of his ultimate expressions of this. The movie, in a nutshell, is about the immortal Doctor Parnassus (Christopher Plummer) and his duels of faith (not religious, but in the virtues of humanity) with the devil (played by an awesome Tom Waits).

It involves many flashbacks from when Parnassus was young and details how he become who he is, all the while showing the daily trials and tribulations he and his traveling carnival face as they travel about London.

The story is very complex and does require attention to be paid to what is being said, and their morality cannot be judged based on the characters actions as easily as some films. Things are pretty much not what they may seem at all times, and things twist and warp as the story develops further, leaving you sometimes confused.

The writing is amazing, with many well written and delivered lines by the cast. They all deliver equally good performances and though I have a hard time finding a favorite, I would have to say Verne Troyer as Anton (who is someone to be watched in the future) and Tom Waits as the Devil where some of my favorites.

Heath Ledger gives an excellent performance and as much as I liked him in the Dark Knight, I feel that his performance in Imaginarium is a bit more subtle, but still very interesting. That being said, The Imaginarium is definitely a favorite of mine, but I may be biased as I like Terry Gilliam's style as a director, as well as his choice of actors/actresses.

He pours a lot of heart into his movies and as self indulgent as some people say his movies are, I would rather watch his movies more than any other director.