The Artist and the Model
A touching story of artist and apprentice set in an occupied France, this war-torn tale of the quest for beauty is tailored for an older audience. As soon as the film begins the viewer is captivated by the beautiful cinematography – an effective black and white with lingering shots on works of art, transporting the viewer to Nazi-ruled France. Actor Jean Rochefort is superb, perfectly portraying a man sapped of joy after witnessing the worst of humanity.
Despite the bleak setting, director Fernando Trueba never lets the film feel too hopeless. With light smatterings of humour (including a group of small schoolboys spying on the nude model and actress Chus Lampreave’s hilarious one liners) the audience is provided with a few laughs to balance out the depressed characters.
One problem with the film is its fast pace: we are introduced to all of the main characters within the first five minutes, giving a rushed feel. This urgent tone doesn’t seem to fit the relaxed and drawn-out relationship between the two leads – though perhaps the director was commenting on the fleeting years of the mortal old man.
Although the film sometimes feels undeveloped, the storyline is nonetheless captivating. Whilest the artist passes his wisdom on to his young muse, the audience is taught a thing or two as well – namely to appreciate the world we live in while we still can. The film is definitely recommended to the mature viewer with a penchant for fine art.
Jack Whitfield
The Artist and the Model is released nationwide on 13th September 2013.
Watch the trailer for The Artist and the Model here:
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