Girl with a Pearl Earring

This is the second time I’ve seen this movie, and I’m glad I did because it is very subtle so having a previous viewing (more than a year ago) helped me to enjoy it more this time.

I was all excited to watch a movie that’s based on a painting! What a cool idea. But, it’s actually based on a novel which I assume is based on the painting. Oh, well.

I really like Vermeer’s work, so the movie is a treat because many of the scenes look like paintings (Vermeers, in fact.) The composition, camera angles, and lighting are great. Even the experience of watching the movie is sort of like viewing a painting, because you really have to pay attention to the nuances as the story gradually unfolds and even so, many things are left to the imagination.

The movie is full of contrast, visual and otherwise. The most striking contrast is between the innocent, barely-there attraction and tension between the girl and the artist, and then the undisguised lust of the rich patron who is convinced that much more than painting is going on in Vermeer’s studio and really wants a piece of that action.

Beautiful visuals, good character development, and an interesting story-behind-the-famous-painting. I loved it! I’ll have to read the novel next.