Directed by:
Miloš FormanCinematography:
Javier AguirresarobeComposer:
Varhan Orchestrovič BauerCast:
Javier Bardem, Natalie Portman, Stellan Skarsgård, Randy Quaid, José Luis Gómez, Michael Lonsdale, Blanca Portillo, Mabel Rivera, Unax Ugalde (more)Plots(1)
The lives of a great artist, a corrupted holy man, and a beautiful woman cross paths at a crucial moment in history in this epic-scale historical drama. Near the end of the 18th century, Francisco Goya is a gifted but controversial artist whose provocative and often satirical work has earned the enmity of the Spanish government as well as the Catholic Church, who hold tremendous power as the Inquisition rages. Surprisingly, Brother Lorenzo, a monk involved in the Inquisition, has hired Goya to paint a portrait of himself, and to prove to the Inquisitor General he is not in cahoots with the renegade artist, Lorenzo targets Ines, one of Goya's favourite models, as a possible heretic. Under torture from Lorenzo, Ines signs a false confession, and her wealthy and powerful father, Toms Bilbata, offers Lorenzo a taste of his own medicine by brow-beating him into signing a document confessing that his mother was an ape. Lorenzo flees Spain as his reputation lies in tatters, and Goya earns greater infamy as he paints a wildly unflattering portrait of Queen Mara Luisa under commission from her husband, King Carlos IV , but Ines remains in prison because of her coerced confession. Fifteen years later, Lorenzo has become a follower of the Enlightenment, and returns to Spain as Napoleon's forces storm the nation and the Inquisition finally collapses. He attempts to liberate Ines from prison but a shocking discovery awaits him. (CinEast)
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Reviews (9)
In his typical masterful way, the best Czech director portrays the hard reality of the French Revolution and the hardships of ordinary people and, with the support of excellent actors, especially in the first act, he manages to draw the viewer into a promising story without any problems. But gradually, Forman runs out of breath, the plot becomes terribly weak and unfinished for such an ambitious film, and the end comes out of the blue and without much emotion. Yes, I learned about the uncompromising methods of the Inquisition of the time, but that doesn't make Goya's Ghosts an above-average drama.
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Against the backdrop of the shadowy side of modern Spanish history, Forman once again delivers his spectacular play. It is stunning with its sets, costumes, and, last but not least, an amazing atmosphere that breathes life into Goya's cruelly pessimistic paintings, worth experiencing for 120 minutes. The acting trio works perfectly with the director in their brilliantly acted parts. Stellan Skarsgård IS a Goya, Natalie is great like never before (and it's not just about getting naked here, as subliminal marketing everywhere proclaims), and Javier Bardem's mesmerizing demon literally destroys the screen with his performance. Forman is back in full force after seven years, once again mixing his genres properly, resulting in a stylish spectacle that may not grab you immediately, but resonates all the more when the credits roll.
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Goya's Ghosts was preceded by the reputation of a somewhat unfinished film, which, fortunately, in my opinion, was not the case. Only Forman's style, which focuses on human individuality, changed this time when Forman, for a change, directed not the role of a personality in human history, but the influence of history on the fate of an individual. Each character had their own clearly defined life and career when history and a stroke of luck intervened, and the conservative ecclesiastical dignitary Lorenzo became an enthusiastic supporter of the French Revolution and a prosecutor of the French Republic. Forman was probably inspired by the fate of Napoleon's prominent collaborator, the head of the secret service, Fouché, who rose from the position of a priest to become one of the most powerful government officials, despite his position as a Jacobin radical, only to betray his benefactor at the end of his career. A young noblewoman, on the other hand, awaits an arranged marriage and a carefree life in luxury, but one chance encounter with inquisition agents and a small misunderstanding leads to a brutal twist and suffering. The titular character represents a mere connecting element and does not play a significant role in the film. This confusion may be the cause of why some film fans have a little trouble accepting Goya's Ghosts. Otherwise, it is a perfectly acted and decently directed film that ranks among Forman's better films. Overall impression: 80%.
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The master made an error. A mushy and calculated screenplay, which tries to play at intellectual construction, completely soulless characters (only faint reflections of Forman’s former brilliance in a small character drawing), and a protruding to almost stale directing concept (especially the crowd scenes evoke cheap television productions). Goya is something like product placement – his name stands out nicely, but we can only dream that this is any sort of speculative psychology of genius, albeit simple but lively (Amadeus!). Milking emotions with Natalie Portman's grandma mask and Javier Bardem's satanic frown is not worthy of one of the greatest directors of recent decades. It truly isn’t. This is Forman’s first great mistake.
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I don't question the message and the strong idea Forman was trying to get across. I will make an odd analogy: while a film such an Amadeus is like a roasted turkey with delicate stuffing, crispy fried potatoes and a hearty vegetable garnish, accompanied a Sauvignon Blanc vintage 2004, Goya's Ghosts evokes a toast with garlic and a glass of sparkling mineral water. Nothing wrong with that, it will fill you up, but with a different end result for your taste buds :)
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