The Painting

2011

1 hr. 16 min.

Adventure

Animation

List

82%

22 Reviews

Tomatometer

79%

1,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

The inhabitants of a piece of art live in a strict social order based on their completeness.

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StephenPaul C

The greatest 01 hour: and 16 minutes ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/10/23

Full Review

Audience Member

"The Painting" is a transcendental and fundamental of art, not just for adults perspective but for children as well. One of the best-animated films of the year, probably, and it reminds me of films I watched as a kid. I can call it like Disney films. I can call it also like fantasy films such as "The Wizard of Oz" or "The Chronicles of Narnia". This is a true knock out both in art and movies. The movie goes beyond our imagination.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/22/23

Full Review

david l

I really liked the animation in The Painting which is so fittingly artistic and sometimes quite beautiful to witness, but I disliked the character design which felt rough and odd to me. The story is solid, but too simplistic, the characters are entirely forgettable and although the film is very well made and sometimes inspired, it could have been much better anyway.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

The Painting is not for kids, yet it does have a child-like earnestness that combines with the simple elegance of the animation to give the film a charming quality. It is a short and sweet little film.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/15/23

Full Review

Audience Member

"The Painting" is, for lack of a better term, a work of art. It is clearly a cartoon for adults and not just because of the nude painting. The story is a parable about unfairly judging others and would likely be of little interest to younger children. While some might scoff at this story for lacking "maturity," the simplicity of its plot allows us to full absorb the visual beauty without distraction. This is especially helpful if you are watching with English subtitles while trying to enjoy the artistry on this canvas... and the artistry off of the canvas as these characters venture out of the paintings and into the real world. The animators faced a tough challenge as the world inside of each painting took on a different style from Picasso to Matisse, but the end result is an enormous success. The surrealist colors of the Allduns are stunning and effectively contrasted by the simple black and white appearance of the charcoal Sketchies. The backdrops come to life and the conversations between paintings are very clever. I wouldn't give this film Disney ratings when it comes to storytelling abilities, but "The Painting" is a feast for the eyes that should not be overlooked.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/21/23

Full Review

Audience Member

This enchanting fable takes place in an unfinished painting where completed figures, partially-painted figures, and loosely-sketched figures live in a stringent caste system. Looking to establish equal rights for all, a group of these subjects venture outside of the frame in the hopes of tracking down the artist and convincing him to finish his work. The Painting does not have subtle allegories, but it does have a crisp pace, lovely animation, and some stirring characters. It's a fine option for anyone looking for an animated feature that veers a little left of the Disney mold.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/05/23

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Jean-François Laguionie

Director

Michael Sinterniklaas

Voice

Kamali Minter

Lola

Steve Blum

Self-Portrait

JB Blanc

The Painter

Marc Thompson

The Great Chandelier

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Noel Murray

The Dissolve

The Painting may be too mature for younger kids...[and] may also be too simple for grown-ups. But for those able to overlook the obviousness, The Painting is both beautiful and affecting.

Rated: 3.5/5

Sep 11, 2013

Full Review

Brian Tallerico

HollywoodChicago.com

A deeply allegorical work about coming to terms with a creator who may have left us behind but it's also just a delightful, romantic adventure with a visual palette far more engaging than most animated blockbusters this year.

Rated: 4.0/5.0

Aug 1, 2013

Full Review

Pete Vonder Haar

Village Voice

With striking visuals reminiscent of Matisse and Chagall and a refreshingly (for domestic animation audiences) grown-up storyline, The Painting is almost reminiscent of, well, a work of art.

Jun 7, 2013

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Clayton Davis

AwardsCircuit.com

Le Tableau feels like Toy Story if it had been directed by Terrence Malick in an Italian opera that was written by William Shakespeare. It's so profound and moving that your heart fills to the brim with adoration and marvel.

Rated: 4/4

Jul 15, 2014

Full Review

Tim Brayton

Antagony & Ecstasy

A film that lives and triumphs on the strength of its imagery.

Rated: 8/10

Nov 10, 2013

Full Review

Glenn Dunks

Trespass

Made in sumptuously styled animation with a kaleidoscope of bright colours, this briskly-paced French production deals with themes of identity and imagination in a way that should entrance younger viewers...

Sep 8, 2013

Full Review

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Synopsis

The inhabitants of a piece of art live in a strict social order based on their completeness.

Director: Jean-François Laguionie
Executive Producer: Jeremy Burdek, Armelle Glorennec, Eric Jacquot, Nadia Khamlichi, Christophe Louis
Screenwriter: Jean-François Laguionie, Anik Leray
Genre: Adventure, Animation
Original Language: French (Canada)
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 26, 2016

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