Based on a short story by Steven Millhauser, the movie begins by presenting a youthful love story between a young duchess and a peasant boy with an interest in magic,  Torn from his love by the duchess’s royal guardians, the young magician disappears to travel the world, returning fifteen years later as Edward Norton…er…Eisenheim the Illusionist.  Acquiring a lot of buzz with his impressive illusions, including controlling the spontaneous growth of an orange tree, Eisenheim attracts the attention of Crown Prince Leopold (the always reliable Rufus Sewell), a man with a reputation for needing to control everything, including his women.  Or his woman, in this particular case, who is none other than the childhood love of Eisenheim (played by Jessica Biel).  The rest of the film depicts the indirect pissing match between the two men.

Despite the textbook plotting, there are moments of originality here.  Namely in the character of Chief Inspector Uhl, portrayed by Paul Giamatti.  Presenting a nuanced performance as a man in the service of the prince who nevertheless finds himself impressed by Eisenheim, Giamatti’s character struggles to integrate his loyalty, ambition, and integrity.         

Less torn is Eisenheim himself, who plays to type throughout.  Driven by love, Eisenheim hatches a plot to expose the prince’s villainy.  We know little about Eisenheim’s missing years, learning only the tidbits discovered by Uhl after countless interviews.  The film suggests that Eisenheim yearns to prove himself as more than a peasant, but he evidences little concern about fame or money.  Norton plays Eisenheim as a carefully controlled force of nature: constantly plotting but rarely revealing anything behind his detached eyes.  Though these character choices make sense, they do not help us get to know or care about Eisenheim.

More troubling is the lack of chemistry between Norton and Biel.  Having watched Biel on 7th Heaven years ago, I enjoyed seeing her all grown up here.  And the thing is, she doesn’t suck.  Beautiful to look at with her persistently rosy cheeks and luscious lips, and speaking with her resonant, deep voice, Biel also commits to her role.  Pulling off a bit of an accent and holding her own against powerhouse Norton, Biel makes the most of her limited screen time.  The fact that she doesn’t set off sparks with Norton may have less to do with her ability than with Norton’s sleepwalking through the part.  Movies like American History X and Fight Club demonstrate what Norton can do when he wants to do it.  With The Illusionist, he seems to be going through the motions.  A man like Norton knows what material is worthy of his talent, so one cannot help but wonder why he chooses standard fare like this.

Uhl repeatedly asks Eisenheim to reveal his secrets, and the times when the film lets the audience in on the tricks behind his magic are fascinating.  Despite his apparent foray into the supernatural, Eisenheim admits that his is the realm of trickery, not necromancy.  The look of the film impresses with its luxury on a budget, and the costumes are gorgeous, though Sewell’s mustache doesn’t match the color of his natural beard or his dyed hair.  Sewell deserves more than a better mustache; moments that indicate a deeper complexity to his character are all too brief.  In fact, the movie generally glosses over the intricate to depict the dramatic. 

Failing to truly distinguish between what we should take as artifice or realism, Burger develops an awkward balance between the two.  Yet this contributes to the interest of the film, and certainly Burger demands attention throughout.   A fun summer film, The Illusionist’s greatest trick is obscuring the limitations of its story.  With world-class actors and confident storytelling, this film may just make you believe the unbelievable. 

Karen Petruska is a film critic living in Chicago, IL.

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