Girl With a Pearl Earring (2003)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Jens S

  
  Visually this film about the creation of Vermeer's famous painting from the 1600s is very pleasing. The majority of the shots look like paintings themselves at first glance. The cast is also excellent. So why did this not work for me? Maybe you have to be into art to appreciate… More
  Visually this film about the creation of Vermeer's famous painting from the 1600s is very pleasing. The majority of the shots look like paintings themselves at first glance. The cast is also excellent. So why did this not work for me? Maybe you have to be into art to appreciate the story of the making of a painting and all the components that have to come together. Maybe you have to be a history buff to acknowledge how big a deal it was to paint a servant girl back then. Fact is, the film did not reach me on an emotional level, its problems did not touch me. I didn't expect this to be nail-biting exciting, and you gotta give the creators credit for not causing drama just for drama's sake, but in the end I just thought: "That was it? What was all the fuzz about?"

• familiar s

  
  This movie, in my humble opinion, is targeted for audience with peculiar sense. The pearl's value didn't quite add up to much entertainment, and the earring was not as close to heart as it was to ears. The performances didn't matter to me in this case. But if it helps… More
  This movie, in my humble opinion, is targeted for audience with peculiar sense. The pearl's value didn't quite add up to much entertainment, and the earring was not as close to heart as it was to ears. The performances didn't matter to me in this case. But if it helps any, every actor/actress excelled his/her role. As for me, I was a bit disappointed for sure by the time the movie abruptly ended. I wasn't as much surprised as displeased by its abrupt ending. Despite knowing that the abrupt ending is due, I was still expecting something better or worse than how they've chosen to end it. But this one turned out to be a unique piece of... well, art, I guess!!! Thank Heavens that I was already feeling a bit uncomfortable. Somehow, instead of adding fuel to the fire, the movie's experience got mixed in its flow. (Rest assured, my disappointment with the movie had no relation with my pre-uncomfortable feeling whatsoever.) With a generous heart, I rate it 2.5/10. So, that all, of course, was my experience and opinion for the "Girl With A Pearl Earring". I give you the freedom to differ.

• xGary X

  
  This fictionalised version of characters and events surrounding the creation of Vermeer's masterpiece is a cinematographer's wet dream come true. To be honest, I find many period dramas a load of overly melodramatic, hand wringing nonsense, but The Girl With The Pearl… More
  This fictionalised version of characters and events surrounding the creation of Vermeer's masterpiece is a cinematographer's wet dream come true. To be honest, I find many period dramas a load of overly melodramatic, hand wringing nonsense, but The Girl With The Pearl Earring was quite enchanting. It looks absolutely fantastic, the sense of period excellent and the photography beautifully apes the lush colours and light and shade of the Dutch masters with direction that is not afraid to linger on these beautiful images for JUST the right length of time. Scarlett Johansson's ethereal beauty is not only visually perfect for the part, but her understated performance fits in perfectly with the subtle story of kindred spirits experiencing unrequited passion. It brings not only history to life, but the painting itself and the final shot of the work in question sent a shiver down my spine. If you find this reaction inexplicable then this film is probably not for you.

• Spencer S

  
  Quite passive and a bit terse, this true account of the painting that changed its creator's life, is filled to brimming with a tense silence between the muse and master, a violent home life, and the obvious ineptitude of the times. Beautifully done, of course.

• Ross C

  
  A very average period drama that tells a very dull story indeed if it were not for the history. Some nice visualisations of Delft in the 17th century, though the CGI was a bit too fake looking at times, and the acting wasn't ever good enough to separate Johannes Vermeer from… More
  A very average period drama that tells a very dull story indeed if it were not for the history. Some nice visualisations of Delft in the 17th century, though the CGI was a bit too fake looking at times, and the acting wasn't ever good enough to separate Johannes Vermeer from Colin Firth.

• paul s

  
  A beautiful film, but the plot holds no revelations, and moves at glacial speed (indeed, you occasionally feel that you are watching paint dry). The story holds nothing new and is so buried by nuance that you just can't seem to care about Johannson's plight as a young woman… More
  A beautiful film, but the plot holds no revelations, and moves at glacial speed (indeed, you occasionally feel that you are watching paint dry). The story holds nothing new and is so buried by nuance that you just can't seem to care about Johannson's plight as a young woman virtually sold into servitude who catches the eye of the master painter Vermeer in whose household she works. However, the sets and cinematography are stunning - still lifes come to life (more or less) as in "all the days of the world". I can imagine how this film was pitched to the studio:"wouldn't it be cool if we took a famous painting of a young woman and built a back story around it - and we could use sets as still life to make it all arty and about art". It is truly about art - more than about any emotion that may trickle onto the screen. Even Tom Wilkinsen's lothario and patron plays false and his "deal" with Vermeer, while oddly kinky (trying to live vicariously through what he perceives in Vermeer and the maiden)could have been much stronger - and even when he semi rapes the girl it seems abrupt and another "set piece". That Johannson has fallen for Vermeer is obvious and I suppose there is a pity in being trapped in her "station", and while I understand her getting sex from her "friend" the butcher's son immediatily after getting groped by Wilkinsen, it still seemed just a shade off, even though I appreciated the understated way in which she turned down the son's offer of marriage (for her heart and soul belonged to Vermeer). The insights into an artist's eye are what kept my interest (that and the visuals), and it was a revelation learning what went into the formulation of colors. To conclude, this film is worthy as a work of art, but the drama was as repressed as the Victorian mores of the times in which the film represents.

• Anthony L

  
  The story behind the masterpiece! Not much of a story though eh! Apart from the beautiful cinematography, with frames that almost look like paintings and the wonderful set design, there isn't much to it! It?s all looks and no content! The acting is wooden to say the least and… More
  The story behind the masterpiece! Not much of a story though eh! Apart from the beautiful cinematography, with frames that almost look like paintings and the wonderful set design, there isn't much to it! It?s all looks and no content! The acting is wooden to say the least and there are far too many 'Period Drama' clichés for me to give this a better rating.

• Kylie B

  
  One of the few films I like more than the novel they were based on. The mis-en-scene is particularly beautiful; several of the set ups look as if they could have been paintings as well.

• danny d

  
  this was a really good film with star power and solid performances until the final 15 minutes where the film completely fell apart. until the end, the story was intriguing and innovative and i was really curious as to how the film would end. when the film wound down to its final… More
  this was a really good film with star power and solid performances until the final 15 minutes where the film completely fell apart. until the end, the story was intriguing and innovative and i was really curious as to how the film would end. when the film wound down to its final scenes there was drama over simple issues made to be bigger than they should have been and scenes filled with symbolism that fell flat. overall it was a good movie with a dissapointing conclusion.

• Alice S

  
  Incredibly gorgeous mise-en-scene and art direction. Every shot is like a Vermeer painting and the script is sparse enough to convey a tense and quiet sense of power-struggle. The ear-piercing scene is erotic as all get-out and that bonus music video on the DVD is totally whack.

• Curtis L

  
  Not a bad movie. Scarlett Johansson really didn't do much more than grunt and look suprised at everything in the world that happened as if she were retarded. But, it was still pretty good. Vermeer was a pimp.

• Drew S

  
  Girl with a Pearl Earring is beautifully shot and textured. It made me feel as if I was vicariously living the life of a servant - labored, painful, but with occasional glimmers of beauty and happiness. Some of the cinematography is outright lush. The entire visual feel of the movie… More
  Girl with a Pearl Earring is beautifully shot and textured. It made me feel as if I was vicariously living the life of a servant - labored, painful, but with occasional glimmers of beauty and happiness. Some of the cinematography is outright lush. The entire visual feel of the movie is absolutely flawless. Girl with a Pearl Earring is a little lethargic, however, and kind of kicks its formless plot around until it reaches a somewhat untelling conclusion. It's nice to have a tale without frills, but this is almost ridiculous. With a dearth of subplots or character development, the tale may clock in at a short time, but it also feels rather anemic. One must also address the performances, which are understated...severely. Scarlett Johansson makes the same dumbstruck face through the entire movie, though she is surprisingly convincing in her part. Cillian Murphy is a mere prong in the film, and Colin Firth's emotional state never changes, but they are pretty good too. Unfortunately, many of the characters lack color, and this translates through in the performances. This movie is not a jewel box of cinema, but merely a shiny little gem, unimpressive but with its own endearing charm. On some level I would recommend it, but what is to be gleaned from a film like this, I do not know.

• Jennifer X

  
  extremely sensual but SLOW. i swear scarlett johansson looks so much like the girl in the painting this movie was MADE for her.

• Megan S

  
  I tried to watch this movie once...I just couldnt get through it.

• Rico Z

  
  This film is based on one of my favorite pieces of art by my favorite painter, Vermeer. There is so much detail placed in this fictional account of what could have inspired the classic 17th century painting. It's all completely plausible and it makes for a beautiful drama and an… More
  This film is based on one of my favorite pieces of art by my favorite painter, Vermeer. There is so much detail placed in this fictional account of what could have inspired the classic 17th century painting. It's all completely plausible and it makes for a beautiful drama and an intimate, breezy and enjoyably period piece. Scarlett Johansson's performance is beautifully understated, but incredibly effective and is her best performance to date. See it now.

• Leigh R

  
  Very interesting.

• Mike N

  
  ...just as soon as I don't feel so swamped with transparent deadlines I set for myself. Ack! Caption Olympics begin today! [url="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/vine/showthread.php?t=311721"]CAPTION GAME HQ & PIZZERIA! COME ON IN, FOLKS!!![/url] Everybody… More
  ...just as soon as I don't feel so swamped with transparent deadlines I set for myself. Ack! Caption Olympics begin today! [url="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/vine/showthread.php?t=311721"]CAPTION GAME HQ & PIZZERIA! COME ON IN, FOLKS!!![/url] Everybody should come and vote! If you do...um...I'll give you...er...uhh...(light bulb) FREE BEER! So I'm lookin' over the whole year, and I think I might be making close to 10 different roundtrip flights this year. 10. Not all are booked, but that's what I have tentatively planned. 10. Mother of Bob, that's a lotta flyin'. This is not including my road trips either. (bites knuckles) How 'bout you guys? Big trips comin' up? Road trips, flying, anything? Spill your guts on your forthcoming adventures!! Young Indy wants to know! [img]http://www.river-phoenix.org/phraseology/chapter15/indiana-jones.jpg[/img]

• Eduardo T

  
  A great film about art and love. Scarlett Johansson was perfect in this role. The film could have been better if they made it more complex and expanded the run time. It was a little to short. There where many ways that they could have made it better. The pace was nice and gratifying.… More
  A great film about art and love. Scarlett Johansson was perfect in this role. The film could have been better if they made it more complex and expanded the run time. It was a little to short. There where many ways that they could have made it better. The pace was nice and gratifying. The plot itself could have been better by adding better plot build up. The good things about this film are the acting and writing. The acting was really good especially towards the end when they start arguing. So much emotion. Other films should have more emotion like this one. The whole art thing was also a treat. If your an artist then there is no reason not to like this. The costume design was also really good. It was like I was actually there back then. The significance of the earrings at the end was very well thought out. I heard that there is a book so I might read it if I can get my hands on it. Also the make up they used on Scarlett Johansson was something different. She didn't look like herself.

• Dannielle A

  
  Aesthetic cinematography and haunting music. A work of art.

• Deb S

  
  This is the story of the life of Johannes Vermeer, a brilliant painter and attempts to explain the origin of one of his more unusual and enigmatic works, Girl with a Pearl Earring. Movie is a based on a Tracy Chevalier's novel. Vermeer was introverted, quiet and withdrawn and… More
  This is the story of the life of Johannes Vermeer, a brilliant painter and attempts to explain the origin of one of his more unusual and enigmatic works, Girl with a Pearl Earring. Movie is a based on a Tracy Chevalier's novel. Vermeer was introverted, quiet and withdrawn and Scarlet Johansson plays the young peasant girl. She is beautifully contrasted with the wife, where power is only external (in status and possessions such as jewelry). This movie concentrates upon the emotional torment behind the act of artistic creation. There are several scenes that build one upon the other, that construct the ever growing sensual connection that comes between Vermeer and Griet. It climaxes at the point where Vermeer's hand gently removes a tear from Griet's cheek when she cries from the brief pain of having her ear pierced for the wearing of the pearl earring of the title. It has proper amounts of tenderness, of sexual tension, of innocence and ingenuity and proves that sexual restraint can be more powerfully erotic than the explicit. Be warned that this movie is slow-paced but wow, what a Visual Treat! This movie had three Oscar nominations in 2003 (cinematography, art direction and costume design) and two Golden Globe nominations, and is highly recommended to any viewer who appreciates arts. Those who can tap into the subtle human emotional undercurrents will find this film far more satisfying than those who cannot.

Read all 20 featured audience ratings