Review: Charlotte
Overview (Spoilers Below):
The true story of Charlotte Salomon (Keira Knightley), a young German-Jewish artist who comes of age on the eve of the Second World War and defies incredible odds to create a timeless masterpiece.
Our Take:
Charlotte is an animated biographical drama directed by Eric Warin and Tahir Rana. Inspired by Charlotte Salomon’s autobiographical painting series “Life? Or Theater?”, the movie chronicles Salomon’s life as a young artist growing up in the 1930s during World War II. She uses her passion for painting to navigate the challenges of her uneasy life, from struggling with her half-Jewish identity under Germany’s rule to her marriage with Alexander Nagler (Sam Claflin). These events led her to create a series of paintings that would inspire generations for years to come before her tragic death in Auschwitz.
There’s no doubt that we have plenty of biopics about people I’m unfamiliar with compared to those I recognize well, with Charlotte being no different. Heck, I hadn’t even heard of Salomon nor her artworks until I heard about this film, mainly because I’m not much of an art fan myself. What’s even crazier is that it took us four years after its release in Canada and France to finally review it. I’m not sure why it waited until today to get to it, though I’d guess it may not be worth our time. That is, until I actually watched it and thought to myself, “Yeah, I still don’t know why we waited four years to review it?” I wouldn’t say it’s a groundbreaking masterpiece, but by biopic standards, this is a surprisingly decent exploration of Charlotte’s journey of translating her life into a series of paintings.
As expected, Charlotte plays out similarly to the other biographical films, but in an animated format. However, its biggest strength amid its seemingly typical narrative stems from its mature themes and settings. Its 1930s setting plays a significant role in Charlotte’s coming-of-age journey, notably due to Germany’s rule, which doesn’t bode well for her Jewish identity. Regarding her family’s history of mental illness, her abusive grandfather (Jim Broadbent), and her unfortunate end, Charlotte had one hell of a life to live. It also showcases that living under the Nazi’s law is undoubtedly a pain in the butt. From a narrative perspective, though, its reflection on this grueling period underscores the film’s themes of self-identity and resilience, particularly through Charlotte’s attempts to live out her dream despite the odds stacked against her. Under Warin and Rana’s direction and with a suitable presentation, Charlotte provides me with a sense of depth and nuance that’s as beautiful as the artist’s paintings, especially in its second half, when the emotion hits pretty hard.
The film also includes a few actors I was familiar with, including Keira Knightley as the title character. I’ve only known Knightley for her role as Elizabeth Swann from the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, so it was nice that I was able to see more of her in other films, including this one. Knightley delivers a solid blend of subtlety and emotion in her role as Charlotte, conveying a character who’s full of heart yet also full of uncertainty about the world around her. Interesting fact: Marion Cotillard voiced Charlotte in the film’s French version. Jim Broadbent also delivered a decent performance as Charlotte’s abusive grandfather, and Mark Strong had some good moments as Alfred Wolfsohn, a vocal teacher who teaches her stepmother (Helen McCrory).
As for the animation, I was a little concerned about its style at first, mainly because the characters’ movements looked a bit cheap. However, I was surprised by how little it affected the overall quality of the film. Rather than using this style to take shortcuts, the movie employs it to offer a more elegant yet tragic reflection of 1930s Berlin and the painterly artistry of its transitions. There are even a few sequences where the animation shines in the characters’ fluid movements. Based on the poster and trailer, I wasn’t expecting the animation to be as innovative and stylized as the more recent animated films, including “KPop Demon Hunters” and “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish”. But I was also expecting its presentation not to be subpar enough to undermine the film’s tragic story. Thankfully, it turned out to be just good enough.
Charlotte may not stand proudly alongside other biopic masterpieces, but it’s a respectfully animated and well-told depiction of resilience amid the Nazi takeover that’s full of heart and despair. As someone who had never heard of Charlotte Salomon, I found it to be a thoughtful yet depressing introduction to the German-Jewish painter, who shows how art can emerge from life’s biggest moments, even the tragic ones. With its decent voice cast, thematic depth, and a solid yet limited animation style, the film is a worthwhile addition to the biopic genre that is as beautiful as an actual painting in an art museum.
