Loving Vincent Review

The story of Loving Vincent follows Armand Roulin. Armand's father, a postmaster, tasks Armand with personally delivering a letter that was returned as incorrect address. Armand's father is adamant that the letter be delivered because it is the final undelivered letter from his close friend, the late Vincent Van Gogh. Armand embarks for Paris and must unravel Van Gogh's final moments in order to deliver the letter to its proper recipient.

No prior knowledge of Van Gogh's life or work is required to appreciate the film as it unfolds. As Armand meets the figures of Van Gogh's life and pieces together the story of of his final days the relationships and connections between characters are, for the most part, clearly and ably drawn out for the viewer. Very little is shared about the relationship between the Roulin family and Van Gogh, so the viewer would be forgiven wondering why this endeavor is important enough for the boy to travel cross-country over a number of days to see it though. Ignoring this minor point, the film proceeds through much of the first two acts with a steady pace of exposition and reflection. There is enough information within to give a very brief history of the artist and his life, but those unfamiliar will be left with a number of questions. This, however, invites rather than demands further research. There is not any information missing that effects the story — anyone who is not struck with an abundance of curiosity can have a fully realized experience with the film without any outside information. In the third act pieces slam together to form the final plot points in an ending that is jarring and abrupt. In retrospect it seems likely that this rapid acceleration is a side effect of the lack of solid information that exists about Van Gogh's death. It is difficult to resolve a movie where the point is discovering the facts of an event if no-one actually knows the facts of the event.

Much attention has been drawn to the stylistic elements of the film. Tirelessly animated from hand-painted slides, the film is unlike anything the viewer will have seen before. For fans of Van Gogh's work, the film being painted in Van Gogh's style will undoubtedly provide a direct connection with the artist. Those familiar with his work will be able to pick out iconic works easter-egg style throughout the film. Even without any knowledge of the artist's work, the painted frames give the film a unique texture. However, early on in the film the unique visual texture can be disorienting at times, especially when there are instances of subtle movement. Once the viewer has become accustomed to the animation, this subsides and the way movement and light are portrayed though the paintings is fascinating. It is especially interesting considering active and passive movement in the film. The texture of the brushstrokes dance away from the action in the background of the frames can be mesmerizing at times. The way the film transitions in and out of flashbacks and from setting to setting is delightful. The beautiful visuals are backed by a moving score, composed in recognizable style by Clint Mansell. The meter and the movement of his score matches the film flawlessly.

Loving Vincent is an enjoyable film. It leads with its technical points – the animation and the musical score. It could be presented as a silent film and still wow an audience. The story and the vocal performances fill out the film but do little to elevate it. This film will be a must see for Van Gogh or film technique enthusiasts, but is well worth viewing for a mainstream audience.