At Eternity's Gate (2018)

A look at the life of painter Vincent van Gogh during the time he lived in Arles and Auvers-sur-Oise, France.

Director:

Julian Schnabel

Writers:

Jean-Claude Carrière, Julian Schnabel

Stars:

Willem Dafoe, Rupert Friend, Oscar Isaac

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 3 wins & 15 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Willem Dafoe	...	Vincent van Gogh
Rupert Friend	...	Theo van Gogh
Oscar Isaac	...	Paul Gauguin
Mads Mikkelsen	...	Priest
Mathieu Amalric	...	Doctor Paul Gachet
Emmanuelle Seigner	...	Md Ginoux
Niels Arestrup	...	Madman
Anne Consigny	...	Teacher
Amira Casar	...	Johanna Van Gogh
Vincent Perez	...	The Director
Lolita Chammah	...	Girl on the Road
Stella Schnabel	...	Gaby
Vladimir Consigny	...	Doctor Felix Ray
Arthur Jacquin	...	René
Solal Forte	...	Gaston

Storyline

During a self-imposed exile in Arles and Auvers-Sur-Oise, France, Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh develops his unique, colorful style of painting. While grappling with religion, mental illness and a tumultuous friendship with French artist Paul Gauguin, van Gogh begins to focus on his relationship with eternity rather than the pain his art causes him in the present.

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Plot Keywords:

painter | priest | artist | 19th century | 1880s | 

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Taglines:

A Grain of Madness is the Best of Art

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Genres:

Biography | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some thematic content

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film was shot over 38 days on location in Arles, Bouches-du-Rhône and Auvers-sur-Oise, France, all locations where Van Gogh lived during his final years.

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Goofs

@ approx :35 into the movie, van Gogh is lying in a hospital bed after being beaten up. The en d of a pillow at the right hand side of the image shows a 21st century soft goods tag.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Vincent Van Gogh: I just want to be one of them. I would like to sit down with them and have a drink and talk about anything. I'd like them to give me some tobacco, a glass of wine, or even just ask me, "How are you today?" And I would answer, and we would talk. And from time to time I'd make a sketch of one of them as a gift. They would accept it, maybe, and keep it somewhere, and a woman would smile at me and ask, "Are you hungry? Would you like something to eat? A piece of ham, some cheese, or ...

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Crazy Credits

There's a mid-credits scene, where a Paul Gauguin quote is narrated.

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Connections

Referenced in Estrenos Críticos: Marzo 2019 (2019)

User Reviews

Van Gogh through the eyes of Julian Schnabel

Vincent Van Gogh's last days in the south of France are depicted in this heartfelt drama by Julian Schnabel. Willem Dafoe gives a powerful performance as the destitute, troubled painter who was not understood by those in his own time. As Van Gogh seeks to express his extraordinary eye for nature and portraits, those around him are either put off, wary or sometimes intrigued. His brother is his only real comfort.

A deliberately paced film with a mournful soundtrack, this will leave you in a contemplative state. It does not tell you everything about Van Gogh or when his self-isolation began but it does seek to offer insight into his profoundly troubled mental state. His demons are quite evident throughout the film- everything from his intolerant response to the curiosity of schoolchildren to his difficulty explaining his world to whatever doctor is examining him, Van Gogh is exemplified in Dafoe's anguished face. Schnabel, himself a painter, brings his own perspective in piecing this film together, especially in showing how Van Gogh paints and goes about his craft.

The film is not without drawbacks. Oscar Isaac is miscast as Paul Gauguin, the French painter whom Van Gogh couldn't bear losing company with. And Mads Mikkelsen gets minimal screen time in a very thoughtful performance as an inquisitive priest who recognizes Van Gogh's uniqueness. But this film is Schnabel's interpretation of Van Gogh and Dafoe's exemplary portrayal of him and in that regard it works quite well. Recommended.

Details

Official Sites:

Offcial Instagram Official site

Country:

Ireland Switzerland UK France USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

15 February 2019 (France)

Also Known As:

At Eternity's Gate

Filming Locations:

Arles, Bouches-du-Rhône, France

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$92,856, 18 November 2018

Gross USA:

$2,294,915

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$11,235,662

Company Credits

Production Co:

CBS Films, Riverstone Pictures, SPK Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

111 min

Color:

Color Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1