The best way to start this review is with a bit of a personal anecdote. I visited New York City in 2017, and one of the destinations I was determined to go to was the Museum of Modern Art, the home to the works of many artists I have admired for years. Several of my artistic idols had work showcased in those hallowed halls – but there was only one painting that drew in the multitudes. It wasn’t one by Kahlo, Dali or Picasso, but rather the iconic “Starry Night”, perhaps the most famous painting by Vincent van Gogh, and amongst the most recognizable works of art in history. The attention this painting was receiving that day was not a mistake – Vincent van Gogh is a figure that has remained in the public consciousness for over a century now, an artist whose impressive talents were only overshadowed by his personal troubles, the trials and tribulations that he had to endure, as well as the strife that comes with living your life as a penniless, starving artist. Julian Schnabel commits to representing van Gogh through a lens of utter beauty, contributing to the many works that have attempted to decode the enigmatic individual, showing him not only as one of history’s most misunderstood painters but as an artist in the purest sense of the word. At Eternity’s Gate is one of the most brilliant films of the past year, a masterful, intricate and beautifully-constructed film that isn’t only a portrait of the artist as a struggling man, but as a steadfast manifesto to the lives of artists, and the relationship between art and the environment, a portrayal of the limitless might that comes with the connection between man and nature.

At Eternity’s Gate is set towards the end of Vincent van Gogh’s (Willem Dafoe) life, focusing on his final year as a struggling artist living in rural France, feverishly painting everything that inspires him, whether it be a pair of boots or a sweeping landscape. His brother Theo (Rupert Friend) is a businessman who cares for his brother and helps support him by sending him money as well as constantly promising to sell Vincent’s paintings, despite the general public being entirely unresponsive to the work of the artist, which they see as unpleasant, inappropriate, and far from being artistic. Vincent encounters a kindred spirit in Paul Gauguin (Oscar Isaac), a French painter who aspires to invent a new way of painting, finding talent within Vincent and even helping to mentor him, perhaps not in the process of creating art, but rather in the deeper emotional underpinnings that appear throughout the artistic life. Vincent struggles from an undiagnosed mental illness, and the only treatment he ever receives is to be locked away in asylums and hospitals, which act less as spaces for the mentally-unstable to heal, and more of ways to keep them from the outside world. Vincent occupies a very odd space in this world – he both adores it and abhors it, and he feels simultaneously like an outsider, and as an integral part of nature, and as reflected in his work, he had a deeper understanding of the world around him, reflected in his relationship with nature and those he encounters in these final few years of his tragically short life.

Willem Dafoe is one of the finest actors of his generation, and whether it be his involvement in mainstream fare or the arthouse, he is consistent in his utter brilliance. In 2017, he gave an astonishing performance in The Florida Project, which reminded us of what a masterful actor he is and thrust him back into the direct public consciousness (true devotees will note that he’s never really gone anywhere, so the proverbial comeback isn’t necessarily true). For four decades, Dafoe has proven himself to be someone extraordinarily talented – but none of his work reaches the heights that his performance in At Eternity’s Gate does. This is, without question, Dafoe’s finest work – how can an actor who has established himself as the elder-statesman of contemporary character actors manage to give such a vulnerable, perfect performance of a man half his age, without ever coming across as inauthentic? Dafoe is simply awe-inspiring in At Eternity’s Gate, with his work being undeniably powerful. There are several scenes that require Dafoe to reach another level of performance, finding it within himself to not only portray Vincent but to become Vincent – and this is certainly far from a by-the-numbers biographical film. There are countless moments that find Dafoe in nature, in quiet contemplation, sometimes painting his surroundings, oftentimes just being present within nature, feeling the wind as he stands in a field, or the hardness of the rocks on the mountainside where he falls asleep. Dafoe is often accompanied by a voice-over, where he laments about a variety of subjects, but most notably his own existence. It would be foolish for me to not admit that Dafoe gives quite possibly the best performance of the year, and finds a certain brilliance in this performance that I’m sure not even the most ardent devotee would have expected.

He shares his scenes with a bevvy of great performers, giving brilliant portrayals of their respective characters. Rupert Friend is wonderfully sympathetic as Vincent’s older brother and patron Theo, imbuing the film with an abundance of heart. Mads Mikkelsen is astonishing in a one-scene performance as a nameless priest who manages to momentarily peer into the mind of Vincent van Gogh. Emmanuelle Seigner is captivating as an empathetic innkeeper who is quite captivated by our protagonist’s unconventional charms and delightful idiosyncrasies, and Lolita Chammah (the spitting image of her mother) is memorable as a rural farm girl who encounters Vincent. However, the most substantial role out of the supporting cast belongs to Oscar Isaac, whose Paul Gauguin is a work of brilliance – quiet but intense, and so insightful. If anyone doubts Isaac’s talents as a performer, At Eternity’s Gate is the pinnacle of why he is amongst his generation’s finest. This film is mainly a portrait of Vincent, but told through an almost kaleidoscopic lens, making it a mosaic of characters who form vital parts of Vincent’s life, especially in his final years, and each performer, whether in substantial or minor roles, delivers captivating, authentic performances that are singularly unforgettable and unquestionably powerful.

Playing Vincent van Gogh is certainly not an easy task, and a film like At Eternity’s Gate is far from a conventional biographical film. What sets this film apart from other similar films about artistry is that Schnabel did not merely make a biopic about Vincent, but rather constructed an intricate psychological character study about the final years of his life, allowing the audience to bear witness to a side of Vincent not normally portrayed with such stark honesty. Throughout At Eternity’s Gate, Schnabel explores the mentality of our protagonist, venturing into his mind and focusing on the multitudes of trials and tribulations van Gogh had to endure throughout his short life. At Eternity’s Gate is unconventional purely for the fact that a film about any well-known historical figure is rarely this honest, and considering this film is about someone as iconic as Vincent van Gogh means that the personal and explicitly truthful nature of this film is entirely unique, and takes the audience into previously uncharted territory. At Eternity’s Gate is a film that is far deeper than just being a portrait of Vincent – it is a complex navigation of the psychology of a true genius, and Schnabel knows the importance of his subject, and ensures that everything about this film is not only truthful, but also extremely meaningful, looking beyond the simple facts of Vincent’s tragic existence, and provoking something far more profound.

To understand the significance of At Eternity’s Gate, we need to note that Schabel made a film less about narrative, one more focused on meditations on life, art and existence, and their relationship with each other. This is a film about conflict, primarily. Vincent van Gogh was at the centre of a number of existential crises, grappling with his own demons while being caught between the uncertainty of life and all of its moments of seemingly-endless suffering, and the intense, awe-inspiring quality of the unknown. There is something far deeper to this life, and it is not the responsibility of only the artist to find life’s hidden beauties, but an ingrained quality in the fabric of human nature to relentlessly pursue the meaning of life, whatever it may be (and as this film notes, it may not be the same for everyone). At Eternity’s Gate may veer into the territory of the  uncomfortable and the unsettling, but it is for the great purpose of showing that life is filled with suffering and misfortune, but there is always the possibility of finding the beauty in the smallest, most inconsequential minutiae – a dying sunflower, a pair of worn-out boots, or the roots of a tree – all of these could be the perfect depiction of life. Life occurs not in great strides, but in very small strokes, each one of us painting the tapestry of our own existence. At Eternity’s Gate is a film with the primary intention of making the audience feel something, to gain some deeper understanding – not merely of the world around us, but of ourselves, provoking us to consider own personal relationship to the world and those within it – as Vincent’s most striking words echo towards the end of this film: “I wanted so much to share what I see. Now I just think about my relationship to eternity”.

Not only is At Eternity’s Gate narratively astonishing, but it is also visually a true masterwork. The film was made mostly through handheld photography, which gives it a very personal, mesmerizing aesthetic that creates the ambience of the audience being closer to van Gogh than we have ever been. It contributes to the intimate, psychological nuances of the story, with the turbulence of the camera being a way of visually representing the mental instability of the main character. The film begins to resemble van Gogh’s paintings, with the stark colour being contrasted with the melancholy subjects. The film, like the paintings, is filled with colour and remarkable exuberance, but is also far more meaningful than just being bright and beautiful – there is a philosophical undercurrent to this film that just cannot be ignored. Schnabel’s own background in the fine arts is made extremely clear in At Eternity’s Gate, as his passion for the subject matter (not specifically van Gogh) is evident – he selects every moment so carefully, plucking each scene from van Gogh’s life and work, knowing precisely which images will evoke the most potent emotions. Moreover, the minimalistic score (which slowly grows in presence, mirroring the increase in Vincent’s mental instability) allows At Eternity’s Gate to further meditate on certain moments, giving it added gravitas while never becoming too dependent on any auxiliary factors, allowing this film to be solely focused on its subject, never deviating from its central intention to enlighten the viewer, and stir up certain emotions.

At Eternity’s Gate is not a film solely aimed at artists – it is a film made for humanity. This is a film that will cause your imagination to soar, and your heart to ache. It is an intelligent, thought-provoking exercise in existential storytelling. Often extremely intense, but not any less inspiring, what Schnabel did here is utterly extraordinary. It is an emotional, authentic and imaginative film that lingers on in the mind of the viewer. At Eternity’s Gate is far more than just a portrait of Vincent van Gogh – it is an immersive experience, one that features an extraordinary turn from Willem Dafoe at its core, creating a compelling and contemplative meditation on ideas far larger than anything that can be logically expressed in any work. Most admirably, At Eternity’s Gate dismantles the perception that van Gogh was an artistic deity, and presents him as a man – one with carnal desires, human emotions, as well as anxieties and insecurities that taunted him constantly throughout his life. It is in this simple but moving approach that At Eternity’s Gate finds its brilliance, because it pays remarkable respect to its subject, as well as allowing the audience to find themselves within this story that manages to feel simultaneously epic and intimate. At Eternity’s Gate is not only about Vincent van Gogh, but it is also about all of us – and finding yourself reflecting in this sweeping masterpiece in some way is not uncommon. This is truly a miraculous film, and amongst the most unforgettable I’ve seen in quite a while.