I expected this to be a fairly straightforward docudrama on the life of van Gogh, but to my surprise it was a far more artistic and ethereal experience. For better and for worse. For the most part, this really works, and I really liked this approach to getting inside the mind of the troubled artist. Van Gogh in the film often talks about how he thinks the world is broken and he might be the only one who sees it right, so we see a very specific vision of the world from him and it creates a unique vision in the film that gives a unique style. However, there's times where this style goes a bit too far and gets a bit pretentious. Extended periods of weird audio loops of dialogue, or excessive shaky cam during quieter moments. I got what the intended effect was, but it was overkill and obnoxious. In general though, the vision works, and gives something more unique than a standard docudrama. I liked this unique look at a troubled artist. I also really liked seeing him have conversations with his peers about other artists and about his place in the art world as a new voice that seemed to mirror what modern artists of different forms say, but in a way that felt genuine and not hoky. It's a moody and unique film with a distinct vision. Not to mention Willem Dafoe gives it his all, when he puts on the overalls and the hat and walks through a field of flowers, he IS van Gogh. Sometimes the film is a bit much, but at least it's something. I liked it, more than I expected actually.

I get what At Eternity's Gate was going for, visually. But that thing was not a thing i enjoyed. The framing made me rather uncomfortable, which, again, kind of the point, but not for me. Massive props to Dafoe of course, his Oscar nomination for best actor is not uncalled for, and special extra props to Mads Mikkelsen, the sequence between the two of them was far and away my absolute favourite part of At Eternity's Gate. But so much of the rest of the thing is just nature shots accompanied by violently jarring piano, and I cannot call myself a fan.