A beloved book, The Goldfinch, won the Pulitzer Prize and the hearts of millions. Bringing any story of that kind to the silver screen is a challenge. Somehow in the hundreds and hundreds of pages of Donna Tartt is a fantastic film, but it might be four hours long! Kudos to director John Crowley (Brooklyn) for doing as solid of a job with the tale that is now out on DVD, Blu-Ray and digital download.
The coming-of-age story stars Ansel Elgort (Baby Driver) as Theo Decker, a man who as a little boy, survived a bombing at the MOMA in New York City, that sadly claimed the life of his mother. The film has an unbelievable cast, led by Nicole Kidman, Oakes Fegley as the young Theo, he’s everywhere Finn Solfhard (Stranger Things), Sarah Paulson, Luke Wilson and an actor whose work never disappoints, Jeffrey Wright.
Behind the camera, serving as DP is recent Oscar winner and longtime legend, Roger Deakins—so you know this thing is beautiful.
Since the bombing, Theo has been riddled with a daily alternation between sadness and guilt. Yet, each new day brings a fresh opportunity to put the past behind him and forge a future that is filled with more life and less loss. We get to see him grow up into Elgort’s incarnation and with an actor of his mettle, it is impressive to see him wade in these waters.
Sadly, the movie misses the mark as a whole, Kidman and Elgort have great chemistry and one just wants to give each a big hug. But the film is muddled at some points and over expositionary in others—that is understandable. This is an enormous book and adaptations are difficult beasts to break down. For fans of the book, it is a must-see as you’re going to want to see these characters come to life. If you have heard nothing of the book (or movie for that matter), you might not want to be as invested in this particular film as its clumsiness and emotional stiltedness are both elements that were nowhere in the novel.
Bonus features are actually quite interesting, led by a behind-the-scenes featurette entitled The Goldfinch Unbound. The thirteen-minute look at the making of the movie features some fascinating and insightful interviews with the cast and crew. They address the enormity of the endeavor, turning an 800-page beloved book into a coherent movie.
The Real Goldfinch is a nice featurette that is a nice companion piece to the one above. What this does differently is adds some societal and historical background to the titular painting by Carel Fabritius. We even get a front row seat to how the artwork was reproduced for use in Crowley’s film.
Film Grade: C
Bonus Features: B