Goya's Ghosts

Starring: Javier Bardem, Natalie Portman, Stellan Skarsgard, Randy Quaid
Directed by: Milos Forman
Rating: R
Genre: Drama
Box Office: $
2006

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: Painter Francisco Goya (Stellan Skarsgard) tries to help his muse (Natalie Portman) after she is falsely imprisoned during the Spanish Inquistion.

Review:

Tim: First off, I have to say that this movie definitely has some flaws. It is not the best movie from Milos Forman or the cast. However, the film is solid enough to be enjoyable. There are some legitimate things to like about this movie.

The cast is quite solid. Stellan Skarsgard, though the title character, has smaller role. He is quite enjoyable as Francisco Goya and really propels the movie forward. Natalie Portman is surprisingly enjoyable in the role. I have seldom seen a movie where the same actor plays both the mother and the daughter. This presented an interesting challenge for Portman, and she pulls it off beautifully. While Skarsgard and Portman are good, the real showstopper is Javier Bardem. He gives such an amazing performance. I thoroughly enjoyed him in this movie.

One of the great strengths of this film is that halfway through, the movie leaps 15 years ahead. This keeps the movie from feeling too slow or dragging at all. Suddenly, the characters we've built this closeness to are changed in different ways. This transformation of the characters keeps the film fresh and exciting.

One of my favorite aspects of this film is that there are so many layers to it. This is a film about the Spanish Inquisition and the horrors they caused innocent people. It is also a movie about Francisco Goya the painter. There are also themes of religion, morality, and revenge. This makes the film quite interesting.

While Goya's Ghosts does have some terrific aspects to it, the movie is still flawed. There were so many chances for this movie to make a more emotional impact on the audience. I enjoyed the movie, but wish Milos Forman had given us something closer to One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating- 7


If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Man on the Moon, No Country for Old Men