There are certain stories from history that are just destined to get the cinematic treatment. As recently noted in my review for A Call to Spy, there are a surprising amount of real-life tales from World War II that have yet to be told. You might not know the incredible tale of painter Han van Meegeren, but rest assured that his life could make excellent fodder for a well-crafted narrative. Which is what makes the directorial debut from billionaire Dan Friedkin such a missed opportunity. With the way in which this story is structured, to even reveal the title of the novel by Jonathan Lopez that inspired this feature would constitute a spoiler. There is a mystery at the core of The Last Vermeer that the film teases and dramatically reveals midway through the film, but the inherent drama that comes with our subject gets shortchanged because of this. Instead, van Meegeren takes a backseat to a protagonist who is perfectly average – unspectacular. Unfortunately, the same could be said about the film as a whole.
The Last Vermeer choses to focus on the life and actions of Captain Joseph Piller (Claes Bang, who apparently really likes films involving the art world), a Dutchman working with the Canadian army after the fall of Germany in World War II. Piller takes an interest when a Vermeer painting, Christ And The Adulteress, gets recovered from the Nazis. The fact that a treasured work of art was in the possession of this particular group understandably rankles some feathers, which is why sussing out how it got in their possession becomes a top priority. Turns out, it does take long for Piller to discover that the treasured painting was sold by none other than failed painter Han van Meegeren (Guy Pearce), who is swiftly arrested for collaborating with the enemy. While death seems inevitable for van Meegeren, Piller cannot seem to shake the feeling that something does not add up. The painter is certainly not completely above board, but did he intentionally do something to benefit the nazis? The movie is happy to tease this question while it drags its feet to the more exciting second half.
As Han van Meegeren, Guy Pearce is an oversized capital “C’ character with biting quips and an affable air that makes him charming despite the accusations against him. Every moment he is on screen is energized as he draws you into his mind. For no other reason than the script needed to maintain the mystery, van Meegeren purposefully toys with Piller and withholds critical information to his defense that is only somewhat explained away by a throwaway line late in the film. The scenes between these two in which Piller tries to extract information while van Meegeren paints are some of the best in the film, if only because Pearce gets to lean completely into the character. On the other hand, Piller fails to become much of a compelling presence when he is away from our painter. He is contending with failing marriage due to his inability to get past what his wife had to do to support the war effort. This leads him to an eventual romance with his assistant Minna (Vicky Krieps, Phantom Thread), a role that completely wastes the immense talent of this promising newcomer. The film wants you to care about Piller, but you just want to get back to van Meegeren.
The Last Vermeer is not a bad film by any stretch of the imagination, but it does represent a huge missed opportunity in its storytelling. You can feel the energy shift into gear after certain truths are exposed to our characters, which leads to an exciting final courtroom sequence that will determine the fate of the famed painter. This is the point in the movie where everyone is turning in their best work, including the otherwise fairly bland Bang. The energy is crackling, and you are left wanting to know even more about the events that led this vilified traitor to become something of a national hero. You also get a taste of the classic debate over the value of art and what parameters dictate said value. The “follow the leader” effect that plagues the world of art appreciation is a weighty topic worthy of its own movie. None of the important elements of the film are given enough depth to truly transcend its workmanlike approach to storytelling. There is nothing offensive in the execution of this story; The Last Vermeer is technically sound with appealing cinematography, detailed costumes and thoughtful production design. You will leave the film somewhat on a high due to its satisfying climax, but script issues and a lack of innovation will render this one less special the further you get away from it.
Video Quality
The Last Vermeer comes to DVD with a 480p transfer that is quite lovely for the format. This DVD offers up an impressive amount of detail from the production design to clothing. Compression artifacts are present without being overwhelming. Black levels are quite strong with only a minimal amount of blocking. Colors are nice and fairly vibrant, especially in the bright daytime scenes that serve as the primary setting for the film. The cinematography of the film skews a bit on the darker side, but there are some moments where bright colors are allowed to pop off the screen. Skin tones look natural, and the paintings that play such a pivotal part in the film are rendered with some nice detail on the canvas. This presentation is just about as good as a DVD can look. There is also a Blu-Ray available for this film that was not made available for review. This movie has an aesthetic that would be worth checking out on that format.
Audio Quality
The DVD comes with a Dolby Digital 5.1 Audio track that sounds pretty great. The film is mostly dialogue driven, but the suspenseful, sweeping music in the film gives the track some life. Dialogue is mixed well and comes through crystal clear without ever being stepped on by the score or any sound effects. The music by Johan Söderqvist provides an effective undercurrent throughout the movie that fills the surround speakers. Directionality is rendered accurately so that sounds originate from all the natural spots. Environmental sounds such as crowd chatter or various car sounds add a dynamic touch to the proceedings. Although there is not constant activity in the track, it presents the movie exactly as it was intended and that is really all you can ask. The disc also includes optional English SDH subtitles.
Special Features
- Trailer: The two-minute trailer is included which does a decent job of setting up the film while maintaining the secretive nature of the story.
Final Thoughts
The Last Vermeer is a steady film that is pleasing enough, but ultimately fails to live up to the potential of the subject. Guy Pearce makes this one worth watching, easily stealing the show every moment he is on screen. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has delivered a DVD that has a decent A/V presentation for the format, but is sure to be a disappointment for anyone who has become accustomed to HD quality. If you decide to check out the film, the Blu-Ray would be the way to go for this one. The period piece setting offers a lot of nuances that would impress with the more defined clarity.
The Last Vermeer is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the DVD.
Disclaimer: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
