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United Kingdom, Canada, France · 2009
Rated PG-13 · 2h 3m
Director Terry Gilliam
Starring Heath Ledger, Christopher Plummer, Verne Troyer, Andrew Garfield
Genre Adventure, Fantasy, Mystery
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Doctor Parnassus, the star of a traveling show, possesses the power to guide the audience’s imagination, but he is also cursed with a dark secret—thousands of years ago, he made a deal with the devil in which he won immortality. This delightful and poignant romp includes an all-star cast including Heath Ledger, Andrew Garfield, and Johnny Depp.
This is potentially wonderful, if not exactly new stuff, but Gilliam and McKeown's willful refusal of coherent narrative and determination to pack every idea about art they ever had into one scenario, make this fiendishly gorgeous movie more exhausting than exhilarating to watch.
The New Yorker by Anthony Lane
He can follow any train of thought, so he does, and it’s no surprise when the trains run out of steam.
ReelViews by James Berardinelli
A movie assembled from diverse pieces that don't quite match. It's the cinematic equivalent of a patchwork quilt.
The real drama in Parnassus comes from the troupe of sideshow performers, led by a terrifically morbid Christopher Plummer.
Entertainment Weekly by Lisa Schwarzbaum
As is so often the case since his "Monty Python" days, Gilliam is best at visual games and weakest at storytelling.
The Depp sequence is especially poignant, apparently rewritten with references to other celebrities who died before their time -- Rudolph Valentino, James Dean and Princess Di -- and who will remain "forever young" in our imaginations.
There are thrilling flashes of Gilliam getting back to top form here. A scrappy movie with more ideas than it can control, but one born out of a passion and determination that are wholly infectious.
Rolling Stone by Peter Travers
Despite a shaky framework, the magic works. It's a chance to see Ledger one last time in the act of doing what he loved. Take it.
The Hollywood Reporter by Ray Bennett
The film is neither intelligent enough nor silly or grotesque enough to become a lasting favorite.
With Ledger onscreen more than might have been expected, the film possesses strong curiosity value bolstered by generally lively action and excellent visual effects.
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