Running time: 103 minutes
Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Colin Firth, Tom Wilkinson, Judy Parfitt, Cillian Murphy, Essie Davis, Joanna Scanlan
Rating 8 out of 10
Not much is known about the Dutch master Johannes Vermeer except that he painted an extraordinary collection of household scenes under the patronage of wealthy donors in the seventeenth century. Only 35 of his paintings remain and one of them (arguably his greatest masterpiece) was the subject of a bestselling book by Tracy Chevalier, first published in 1999. Chevalier fictionalised what might have been the inspiration for this painting, and now, in his feature-length debut, director Peter Webber transforms her novel impressively to the big screen. Delft, 1665. A young servant Griet (Scarlett Johansson) is sent to work in the household of the renowned painter Vermeer (Colin Firth). The work is hard and long, and life is made more difficult by the petty jealousies of her fellow servant Tanneke (Joanna Scanlan). The biggest problem however is Vermeer's family: a severe grandmother (Essie Davis), a hypertense and constantly pregnant wife (Judy Parfitt), and a brood of spoiled children. The family is on the verge of bankruptcy and desperate to maintain its lavish lifestyle. Only their rich patron Van Ruijven (Tom Wilkinson) provides any means of visible support and his whims are a constant worry for the Vermeers.
Griet keeps her head down, but her stillness and striking poise attracts both Vermeer and Van Ruijven - the former for her aesthetic possibilities on canvas, the latter for more carnal desires. The businessman chooses her as the subject of his next commission in order to have his wicked way with her, and an unlikely bond develops between master and servant.
Peter Webber gets nearly everything right in his screen adaptation. Olivia Hetreed's screenplay is skilful and deft, allowing silence and the unspoken often to carry more weight than the dialogue itself. This may essentially be a study of a single event in history, but Webber's camera and editing make it into a compelling and always interesting story. The period settings, production design and photography all convey the flavour of the great painter's work.
The cast are more than equal to the surroundings they find themselves in. Scarlett Johansson comes of age in a mature performance that belies her years. She is awkward and gangly but has an incredible onscreen luminescence that attracts both the audience and the painter. After coming to attention in films such as Ghost World, she is on Hollywood's radar for her first leading roles in bigger films, and with rave reviews already under her belt for her other new film Lost in Translations it seems that the proof is in the pudding. She seems set to become one of the major actresses of the next ten years.
Recent film outings have not been too kind for Colin Firth, too often lazily cast as the romantic interest in some below-par rom com (Hope Springs or What A Girl Wants anyone?). However he excels here as the brooding painter, ill-at-ease at the world he finds himself in. The scenes between the two are particularly well played, and surrounded by a supporting cast that hits its mark every time.
Only a desultory romance with a local butcher's boy (Cillian Murphy) slows down the film's pace, eventually going nowhere. But the film should strongly appeal to anyone looking for an upscale and intelligent evening's entertainment (and it is entertaining throughout). Let's hope this is one British director who has plenty still left to show us.
