Today’s quick review: The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. The old and weary Doctor Parnassus (Christopher Plummer) uses his mystic talents to run a traveling sideshow with his daughter Valentina (Lily Cole), a boy named Anton (Andrew Garfield), and his longtime companion Percy (Verne Troyer). The show’s shabby exterior hides a deeper secret: audience members who join the troupe on stage are taken to a surreal and dangerous world of fantasy and allegory, where Doctor Parnassus tests their souls as part of an ongoing wager with the devilish Mr. Nick (Tom Waits). But the fate of the melancholy troupe is shaken up when they find a hanged con artist named Tony (Heath Ledger) under a bridge, barely clinging to life. His talents for promotion take the show to new heights of success, but his sins have followed him and threaten to ruin everything.
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is a surreal fantasy from the mind of Terry Gilliam. The stakes are never perfectly clear, the moral choices are esoteric, and the line between reality and fantasy is blurred. But amidst all the chaos, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus manages to be a high-quality movie that is daring, intelligent, and peculiar. The tone is somewhat tragic. Parnassus is coming to the end of his bet with the Devil and a long life that has brought him nothing but suffering. His teenage daughter is chafing under his restrictions, while his sideshow is a traveling anachronism designed solely to claim souls for his wager. The character of Tony turns the lovable con artist archetype on his head: despite a superficial appeal and his borderline role as the protagonist, he is not a good man, and he brings ruin wherever he goes. Throughout it all are skewed moral quandaries, snippets of philosophy, and swatches of wonder and imagination.
The film features a knock-out cast, although the roles are unconventional. Heath Ledger plays Tony during the real world sequences, but each time he enters the world of Doctor Parnassus, he is replaced by another actor: Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell. From a story perspective, these changes reflect the character’s shifting identities and ability to change himself on a whim to con his victims. From a practical perspective, these changes are an artifact of Heath Ledger’s tragic death during production. All the incarnations of Tony do a good job, bringing forth the same mix of charm and trouble that makes Tony such an unusual character. Meanwhile, Christopher Plummer and Tom Waits have an interesting dynamic as old enemies who know each other like friends. Lily Cole plays the tragic role of a teenage girl too eager to grow up, falling for a stranger who is too old and too immoral to be good for her. Andrew Garfield rounds out the main cast as a brooding boy with a crush on Valentina whose hopes are quashed by the appearance of the stranger.
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is a good choice for those who enjoy curious, stylized movies. The film is too confusing for an easy watch or mainstream appeal, but the high-quality execution, the twists and turns, and the signs of hidden meaning make it a fascinating puzzle for those who are drawn to such things. Skip it if you are looking for a conventional, straightforward, or uplifting movie; despite its whimsical visuals, it is weighty and philsophically loaded. But for a bizarre, quasi-allegorical movie unlike any other, give The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus a watch.
6.8 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it an 8.0 for doing exactly what it sets out to do; as low as 7.0 is fair depending on your tastes in intellectual bubblegum.