Aletnative story - The picture of Dorian Gray (2023)
Hello movie lovers,
Do you remember the great film from 2009, Dorian Gray? It featured stunning visuals, an intriguing plot, and commendable performances. Most importantly, the movie was faithful to the original book. So, when I stumbled upon The Picture of Dorian Gray, my interest was piqued. The poster was captivating, and I didn't initially notice that the main character depicted was a woman. I decided to watch it, made it to the end, and now I have formed an opinion on this new take on an old story.
Sad Story About a Broken Heart
At the center of the story is a young 14-year-old girl named Evie. Her parents died in an accident, and she was sent to live with her grandmother Amelia in Italy. Before sending her over, an old family friend warned Evie that her grandmother was quite eccentric and unusual, to the point of appearing somewhat insane. This movie isn't a direct adaptation of the original book, so the action takes place in a modern setting, with the only connection to the book being a picture of the second main character, Dorian Gray.
When Evie arrives in Italy, it becomes immediately clear that her grandmother is a peculiar woman. She lives in a large, old, and dusty mansion that needs renovation. The house has an odd feature: all the clocks show the same time and never move. I initially thought this might be connected to Amelia's lifespan, suggesting her age was frozen along with the clocks, but I was wrong. Young Evie is not a painter like in the original book; she is a photographer, which is why the movie is called The Picture of Dorian Gray, not The Portrait. Due to her mental trauma, she hasn't taken photos for some time.
The picture of Dorian Gray - Old mansion and young Evie.
If I understood correctly, Amelia was a famous actress and quite popular, so many modern actors sought advice from her. One of these seekers was Dorian Gray, a renowned British actress who wanted to achieve greatness and live forever. Dorian and Amelia have an interesting discussion where the grandmother insists that the only way to greatness and becoming a true actress is to make someone fall in love with you and then mercilessly break their heart. Although this seemed like a strange way to achieve greatness, the reason behind this advice is revealed later. Dorian then starts forming a close relationship with Evie. I expected a film with a lesbian theme adhering to modern norms, but the authors managed to portray the developing love between the two women as quite cute and not vulgar. Personally, I think Amelia spoke about love between a mother and daughter because her granddaughter had lost her parents, not a lover, but eventually, Dorian provided a love greater than a mother's.
On Gray's birthday, Evie gives her a present that changes everything. Spending time together, Evie starts taking pictures of Dorian, and one of these pictures is gifted to the one she loves. This beautiful picture of an attractive young woman references the original book. Dorian stays in Italy for three weeks. In her last conversation with Amelia, Dorian expresses doubts about breaking Evie's heart. Despite having genuine feelings for her young lover, Amelia insists that Dorian must leave without explanations. She also reveals to Dorian that she has cancer and has little time left. Amelia’s motivation for wanting Evie's heart broken stems from her own experience of a once-in-a-lifetime love that ended in betrayal and left her heartbroken. She wants her granddaughter to experience something similar, believing it will prepare her for future disappointments and pain. This peculiar motivation clearly shows that Amelia has no love left in her old and dry heart.
The picture of Dorian Gray - Amelia and Evie.
That same night, Evie and Dorian have a very personal conversation where the young girl confesses her love to Dorian and asks her to stay. This is when we first see changes in the beautiful picture – Dorian starts to change, and her sins become visible on Evie's gift.
Greatness demands sacrifice, so the next day, Dorian leaves without saying goodbye and goes to America to fulfill her destiny. The aim was achieved – Evie's heart was broken, and her grandmother confessed to asking Dorian to do so. This almost drives Evie to suicide. Amelia finally realizes the pain she caused and dies under the pressure. Ironically, she dies precisely at the time shown on the clocks in her house.
For the next 15 years, Evie tries to forget the one she loved more than life. Eventually, she decides to visit Dorian and ask why she did what she did. In their final meeting, Gray has achieved greatness, wealth, and status. Evie points out that Dorian hasn't aged a day in 15 years. She asks Dorian to start over, but Dorian can't. Her soul is trapped in the portrait, which now shows a nasty, ugly, and old woman. The face in the picture is unrecognizable as the one Evie loved so much. Even the paper of the picture has aged and deteriorated. All the signs of time and sin are in the picture. Both women realize what must happen – Evie smashes her gift, and everything the picture held inside transfers to Dorian. She dies, but it's a peaceful death with someone she truly loved.
The picture of Dorian Gray - The final dance.
In the final scenes, Evie meets a man in a café and takes his picture. He is sad and grim because the one he loves doesn't reciprocate. The photographer advises him: you can forget your feelings and move forward, or you can express them now because you never know if you'll have the chance again.
Positive and Negative Sides of the Movie
Honestly, I am not a big fan of such films. It contains a lot of different ideas and good scenes. The movie suggests that love is sacred and must be defended at all costs. Love can be a saving grace but also a knife that tears you apart. The exposition is simple but provides good material for contemplation. How do you personally handle those you love? None of us has a magic portrait or picture that protects us from aging or holds our sins.
What I liked:
- Great sound and melodies: They add empathy and resonate with the emotions in the film.
- Strong performances: The three main actresses deliver solid performances. Their emotions, mimicry, and dialogues are convincing and natural.
- Timeless theme: The general idea of the film is as old as time but still poses important questions about our behavior and relationships.
What I didn't like:
- Excessive dialogue: There are too many dialogues that don't directly impact the main storyline.
- Romantic subplot: The love story between two women was unexpected. I prefer seeing Dorian as a classic male character, but this change was likely made to explore another facet of love.
- Open ending: The ending feels unresolved. I think after Dorian’s death, we should have seen the final credits or perhaps a brief description of Evie's future plans. This ending left me confused.
The picture of Dorian Gray - Evie and Dorian in Italy.
Conclusion: Good Movie or Clickbait on a Popular Name?
In part, this was a clickbait film. The familiar name and attractive poster set certain expectations. For some reason, this film is categorized as horror, but I found nothing scary about it. The changes in the picture were unsettling, but that's all. We see a romantic drama about an old woman suffering from a broken heart who wants everyone around her to be equally miserable. We follow a young actress who dreams of greatness and immortality but is doomed until her picture is destroyed. If you are not opposed to modern themes and can appreciate the film's philosophical aspects, you might find it interesting. It raises reasonable questions and depicts unpleasant actions. However, if you are looking for action, horror, plot twists, or memorable characters, you might be disappointed, as I was. I cannot recommend this film to a wide audience, but some might find this genre intriguing.
That's all for today. See you soon with the next movie review from the Radiant team!
To leave comments, please log in.
