If you are a fan of Terry Gilliam films (Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Time Bandits, 12 Monkeys, The Brothers Grimm) you would expect nothing less than a crazy and wild ride. And you would get no less in this film.
The movie starts out a little strange and it's hard to figure out what is going on at first, but once you do it is fantastic.
Dr. Parnassus (Christopher Plummer) travels from place to place with his daughter Valentina(Lily Cole), sidekick Percy (Verne Troyer) and assistant Anton (Andrew Garfield) promoting his "imaginarium": a world of imagination created out of the doctor's mind. All you have to do is buy a ticket and come on the stage that unfolds from the carriage the group travels in. When you walk through the magic mirror and enter the doctor's world, all your dreams come true.
The troupe however, is not having much luck promoting their act, scaring more people off than intriguing them. Meanwhile, we find out that Dr. Parnassus has some trouble brewing. Years before, when he was a monk, he was visited by the Devil (Tom Waits) who offered him a bet in exchange for immortality. Dr. Parnassus wins but starts to regret his victory when, at 1000 years old, he falls in love with a young woman and decides to trade the Devil his immortality for youth. The Devil agrees, but on one condition. If the doctor ever becomes a father, the Devil gets to take the child on its 16th birthday.
Valentina turns 16 in three days and the Devil is ready to collect. But not before offering Dr. P another bet, an offer the good doctor cannot refuse! If Dr. P can get five souls before the Devil does he gets to keep Valentina. The way they do this is by getting people into Dr. P's "imaginarium." While in there, a person will have the opportunity to choose between good and evil. It seems like an easy decision, but not when one is lured by the Devil's temptation.
But with business not exactly booming, Dr. P fears he will lose Valentina forever! But all that is about to change when the group finds a man hanging from a bridge one night. They cut him down and try to resuscitate him. He wakes up with no recollection of who or where he is. Valentina takes an instant liking to him and they decide to make him part of their gang.
The Devil recognizes the guy and tells Dr. P that his name is Tony and that he used to do charity work, but that's all the information he shares. Tony (Heath Ledger) convinces Dr. P to modernize his act and perform for rich people to make some money. Intrigued by Tony's power of persuasion, Dr. P agrees and before long business is finally booming! Dr. P quickly gets four souls and only needs one more! But not everything is that easy when the Devil is involved, and we learn that Tony is not exactly who he claims to be and every one's world, even in imagination land turns upside down!
This film was absolutely fantastic from the beautiful visions of the dream worlds to the magnificent performances especially from Heath Ledger. This was his last film, though he died before it was complete and Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell each fill in for his role. I had read they were going to do this and thought it might be a bit strange but it totally works in the film and they all do a great job.
Lily Cole is gorgeous and sweet as Valentina and Andrew Garfield is funny and charming. Both are fairly new to the acting world.
Terry Gilliam movies tend to go off the handle a bit and this film might not be for everyone. But it is good light fun and it's worth it just to see Heath Ledger perform. He was a magnificent actor, I wish that his life had not ended so quickly. Step through the mirror and explore this film!
Stars *****
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