The Illusionist (2006)

The Illusionist, starring Edward Norton and Paul Giamatti, is a entertaining period piece about magic and tricks, and holds a few tricks of its own in its well-woven plot.
Norton is Eisenheim, a "illusionist" who suddenly appears in Vienna and gains instant fame performing some sensational magic tricks. Like the tricks he performs, there is more to Eisenheim than what he reveals. Giamatti plays Chief Inspector Uhl, the grunt man for the Crown Prince Leopold (excellently played by Rufus Sewell), who is in charge of looking after the Prince's interests, which includes among other items, a Duchess named Sophie (Jessica Biel). Unfortunately Sophie is also happens to the childhood friend AKA first love of Eisenheim.
The premise therefore is simple: Eisenheim is back to claim his love, but both class (he comes from a peasant family) and politics (Leopold's ambitions which include Sophie as part of his plan) stand in his way. There are literally countless works of literature (and other art forms) telling similar tales.
The story may be simple, but the plot certainly isn't. Indeed, the success of The Illusionist hinges on its convoluted plot which serves as a puzzle for the audience. There isn't anything groundbreakingly original in the way the film solves this puzzle - again, we've literally seen the same kind of puzzles in many other films before, from The Usual Suspect to the very recent Inside Man and The Unknown. But the film still manages to pull off its trick relatively easily, thanks to a good script and decent editing.
With regards to the acting, I have to say I was somewhat disappointed with Norton's performance. Norton is a top-notch actor, with a very respectable resume featuring works such as American History X and Fight Club, but in this film his presence just feels dry. Perhaps its fitting with Eisenheim's character to be solemn and grim-faced all day long, but that's not very interesting to watch. And in the few scenes he's supposed to show emotion, the emotion feels fake and insincere.
Giamatti is pleasantly entertaining to watch. His character is more outward, and you can see the genuine struggle he is enduring between his conscience and his fear / greed. Rufus Sewell is also strong as Leopold, playing the barbaric prince effortlessly. These supporting actors make the whole film feel sincere and enjoyable.
In the end, The Illusionist is quite a good film. There are times when it drags (especially during the middle), and the recipe (mystery drama with a shock revelation at the end) has been used too many times before, but it still works.
7/10