2015 / 105m - The Netherlands
Comedy, Romance
3.0*/5.0*
Eisenstein in Guanajuato poster

Watches

June 20, 2020

3.0*/5.0*

Not your typical biography, then again Greenaway isn't your typical director either. A pretty quirky look at Eisenstein's passage in Mexico, focusing on his sexual awakening more so than on his work as a filmmaker. That may put people off, especially big Eisenstein fans, but I found it quite refreshing.

Greenaway also pays homage to Eisenstein's visual style, with many unique cuts and lots of visual trickery. It's a shame though he doesn't keep it up for the entire film. Still, there is plenty to admire here. Split screens, sharp editing, cool camera work and fun fades add a lot of extra flavor to the film.

Eisenstein is portrayed as a very colorful character and Greenaway has a lot of fun with him. Not sure how historically correct it all is, but at least it makes for a better film. There's not quite enough here for a 90-minute feature and the second half doesn't feel quite as fresh, but this was surprisingly fun and creative.