Tim's Vermeer (Teller)

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TIM'S VERMEER
Dir. Teller

IMDb page

[Stay Puft]

Pretty remarkable in its content, even if pretty standard in its form. I'd say the biggest drawback is its brief runtime and limited scope. It introduces the topic of certain controversies (the nature of genius, the background of Vermeer's artistic skill, the role of technology in art) but doesn't explore these controversies in any substantive way. It takes Tim's viewpoint for granted, basically, so Penn's closing thoughts are sort of unearned or lacking persuasion, even if I would agree with the basic point. The film closes with a title card directing the viewer to a website for more information, so again... feels like there was a lot more they could have done to create a more substantial, sophisticated and informative documentary.

Instead, the film is concerned almost wholly with Tim's obsession, and the lengthy journey he undertakes to paint a Vermeer as a way of testing his hypothesis (that Vermeer was using optics and a mirror to create his paintings). Taken as such, however, the film is still highly enjoyable. Tim is an amusingly deadpan subject, and the film has plenty of the humor and wit associated with the Penn & Teller brand (and is driven, of course, by a scientific passion for knowledge and truth). Tim's journey is impressive in its own scope, and admirable in its dedication. There's a madness to the journey, too, and as a recording of Tim's incredible process the documentary has its own power. There are some astonishing scenes in the film, as we witness flash in the pan "eureka" moments (Tim has a breakthrough and revises his hypothesis in the midst of his experiment, realizing that the optic tool, if Vermeer indeed used one, may have been a whole lot simpler than he had imagined) and some surprising discoveries (Tim may have stumbled upon a mistake in The Music Lesson that nobody ever before noticed).

Hell, I have to admit the first time Tim attempts a painting using his mirror method, painting a portrait of his father based on an old photograph, I was a bit floored. And this is in the first few scenes of the film. It's an incredibly clever technique on its own, even if it ultimately has nothing to do with Vermeer's paintings. The inquisitiveness and creativity of Tim's scientific mind seems the real star of the show, and is the closest the film comes to making its own persuasive argument about artistic genius, even though there's still so much more that needs to be said about Vermeer. Nevertheless, this is a compelling documentary. Recommended.

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