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Reviews
Modigliani (2004)
a great love story, if not entirely factual
Modi and his wife had a deeply dysfunctional relationship in real life, not the idealized one we see on screen, but that's not the point. And other artistic licenses were taken with his life, too. Anyone going to see this movie expecting a documentary about a painter is in the wrong theater. It may also not be an accurate portrayal of the artist himself and what motivated him. Maybe it's too hard to convey that on screen. Who alive could tell Davis who the real Modigliani was anyway? This is a love story, pure and simple, and on that level, it succeeds. Yes, there are the inconsistent accents, yes the baby is a little young. And no, a painter would never break a treasured brush in half to celebrate the completion of a painting. That out of the way, the music is perfect, amazing, gutsy and wonderful. Zylberstein is brilliant and deserves a great deal of peer recognition for her portrayal of Jeanne, Modi's wife. Garcia is fantastic; subtle, beautiful, deep. The supporting actors, particularly the ones who played Renoir and Picasso, were a delight. Like life and love, the film is funny, oblique, moving. and tragic. The cinematography is gritty and gorgeous, like life at the turn of the century. Go see this film and enjoy!