MovieChat Forums > Girl with a Pearl Earring (2004) Discussion > Did you like it? Tell me why.

Did you like it? Tell me why.

posted 14 years ago by aGuiltySoul
9 replies | jump to latest

I haven't seen this entire film. But what I did watch gave me a sense of taking the skeleton of one of the great Dutch painters, Vermeer, and the subject of one of his paintings, and building a soap opera upon it. Colin Firth is a fabulous actor and he did not disappoint here. Scarlett Johansson has just the right look for the subject of the painting. It follows her trend in films, to be cast for her looks and to play to them. She's an OK actress, just not my favorite. But the melodrama! For those who say it fleshes out the time and the artistry...you do know this is entirely fiction, right?

"I'd never ask you to trust me. It's the cry of a guilty soul."

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] aGuiltySoul 14 years ago

I hope you don't think I was being sarcastic in my request. This film seems to have quite a few fans. Yet it was very offputting to me. Maybe I wasn't in the right mood.

I've read up a bit on Vermeer and it is said that he had a domineering m-i-l who ran the household. And he did indeed have a large family which was not unusual for those times as long as both parents stayed healthy.

I see your point about the era. I assume you believe that even though the story was fictionized that the historic details were not.

"I'd never ask you to trust me. It's the cry of a guilty soul."

[–] Sunflower007 14 years ago

~ I did enjoy the movie. It was nice seeing the novel come to life, but I admit that the film did not due justice to the book. The movie had so much changes & cut out characters and scenes. That happens often in movie adaptations of novels so that hasn't surprised. It was great to see Collin Firth and Scarlett Johnhasson doing the main roles. I thought they delivered a great performance. Too bad that the film was underated.

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[–] Roxy08005 14 years ago

I liked it. I thought the acting was good but i loved the set and background design

www.applegathosting.com

[–] AlmaWynemiller 14 years ago

I watched this movie yesterday evening... I didn't particularly care for it BUT I loved the colors, and the lightning. Does it make sense? It really felt as if I was entering Vermeer's paintings, which I love, and his so very special use of light. The melodrama didn't rub me the wrong way... it actually didn't much get my attention. The images did.

... Persona Non Grata ...

[–] Scistorian 14 years ago

I really enjoyed it. All the historical scenes were great; the whole hierachy-thing, and who has to defer to who-thing was really interesting; the cinematography was incredible with a lot of the shots being lit so as to appear like a Vermeer painting; the music was brilliant and totally relevant; acting was fantastic for all the parts; and a lot of the characters/settings were historically correct - Vermeer, his wife, his mother inlaw, his children,the patron, his house, Delft.
Great film, but if only there had been a car-chase or something (tic)

I think my toaster is in with the machines!

[–] rafiqi 14 years ago

I adore Colin Firth, but I think he could have created a stronger character and I don't think it would be pandering too much to popular tastes to suggest that the director could have given Vermeer more appeal.

Somehow, I felt misled by it all. When Firth is in a film, it cries out to me: "Here is a character worth caring about."

Except in this case, I didn't.

[–] SnapCrackledThePop 9 years ago

The set, background, design. One of my favorite scenes was when it was snowing and Griet went to get the laundry that had frozen.

[–] reaseltbim 9 years ago

i loved the acting, i loved the period setting, i loved that i thought i was watching a real story, i loved the girl,

when i realized this was all fake it felt like a big waste of time