Portrait of a Lady on Fire
4
(9.1K)
Drama
Romance
History
2019
121 min
R
On an isolated island in Brittany at the end of the eighteenth century, a female painter is obliged to paint a wedding portrait of a young woman.
Starring:
Drama
Romance
Lgbtq+
Tearjerkers
8.1/10
92%
AD
Also Available On:
Community ReviewsSee all
"+ A gorgeous, impressionistic drama that takes its time with the story. What I admired about this movie is how it is both beautifully photographed and filmed, but is also subtle in how it presents the time period. Many other movies may have gone all out on interior designs, lush costumes and makeup, and a dramatic score, but this movie is minimalistic in its portrayal of 18th century France. The colors are solid and bold, which comes through beautifully in the day settings, lacking rough, grainy textural presentation that might have been found on film. The spaces are open and detailed, but not overly decorated, and the play of firelight, candlelight and shadows in the night scenes work together to bring a palpable atmosphere. This melds effortlessly with the understated bond that develops between the two main characters and allows their relationship to unfold in a slow organic way. It is their story that ties all the wonderfully executed visual nuances together. Rarely do I come across a movie that shows restraint in such a passionate, bittersweet romance. Even when their story gets messy by the end, it doesn't lose itself in the throes of melodrama. Most of what we feel for them is through the subtext of what isn't said between the two. Skillful direction, nuanced performances, and a tight script make for a heartbreakingly intimate story. Engaging from the first frame to the last.
(?) The plot itself feels a little contrived at first, but when the story breathes and we get to know the two leads it actually becomes a clever narrative thread. I doubt this will turn people away from the movie, and it is small, so not quite a negative. Just something to consider.
NOTE: I like how the plot makes use of the technological limitations of the time period. This story, at least in terms of capturing someone's portrait, couldn't be told in our setting; cellphones would bring an abrupt end to the movie. I like this quality of period piece movies."
"Day 6: I've been up for over 24 hours and I'm crashing a bit so I'm gonna be a little lazy and suggest a movie that most everyone already knows is good. If you haven't seen this yet and you're interested in gay art I highly suggest checking it out. It's outstanding that this was seemingly not nominated for anything come Oscar season but w/e. The Oscars are wild some times."
"⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This film is truly a work of art. I'm not a big fan of the romance genre, but this love story is so unique and captivating, much more so than any other queer period piece I've seen (and I've seen quite a few). Noemie Merlant and Adele Haenel, who did a superb job, especially enhanced this. This film also has some of the best cinematography I've ever seen. I'm not sure how historically accurate some of the plot points are, but, personally, I can appreciate that the film is leaning toward art rather than accuracy (although the costuming is pretty good). Fans of the artist/muse relationship and art about art, this is definitely the film for you!"
Similar TV & Movies
3.7
3
4
3.6
3.4
3
3.2
3.6
3.3
3.6
3.1
3.4
3.3
4.2
3
3
3.4
3.3
3.4