1/5 Revising history as soap opera
  by Mr. M. Anderson (Cloverdale,Oregon USA)
The cinematography and sets were great, but the movie as a whole is a train wreck. (I also have to give great credit to the actors for giving their all.)
But in the spirit of art criticism, continue on; you may evolve into a more authentic film artist.
Who wrote this story? The same commitee who writes One Life To Live, or All My Children?
A visual artist friend brought this DVD over, along with another fictionalized version of Los Angeles skateboarding in the 60's. As with the Modigliani movie, it was all cliche', trash talking, drugs, violence, and general soap opera.
Modigliani, the movie, could have been a really interesting movie if the writers had made it in documentary form as Dog Town the skate board documentay movie was, which was great, with actual photos of the
subject individuals, places where they performed, etc. But no, they had to trash it up with over-dramatized versions of all the characters, unrealistic ways art shows work, etc.
Recently I watched the Clint Eastwood movie on Johnny Mercer; in documentary form. It is wonderful, with great historical photos of the people in the creative part of popular music from the 30's through the 70's. Johnny Mercer apparently was a mean drunk, but not self destructive like Modigliani.
I personally am sick of watching soap opera forms of dysfunctional people and families. Not to mention all the crap on TV, a high percentage of which is about some crime scenario. Even the news channels go on for days about the latest mass shooting by some malcontent.










5/5 Modigliani the Movie the Music
  by Martha A. Bailey
This is one of the best films I have ever seen and, trust me, I have seen many. For those critics who say it is not historically accurate, I say, lighten up. For those who say Elsa Zylberstein does a mediocre job in her role as Modigliani's muse, I say, you did not see the same movie I and thousands of others saw. Andy Garcia is simply superb as the troubled Modigliani. I have seen nearly all of his films and this is, by far, his best performance. He IS Modigliani.

The music, is well, simply outstanding. Guy Farley does a superior job in setting the time and tone of the film and in every scene he makes you "feel" the story. If I could give this film 10 stars instead of the 5 allowed, I would.

4/5 Modigliani
  by M. K. Hammour (France)
Like a matador confronting a bull, the artist approaches his easel. As he wields his brush, the painting dances into being before our eyes. Modigliani , the most influential artist of the 20th century, is making art,
Just as visual artists understand the relationship between positive and negative space in their work.
The resulting film, in spite of the title character being masterfully played by Andy Garcia, is predictable even to those who have never heard of Modigliani or ever seen his work. Certain central characters -Jeanne's virulently anti-Semitic father, is a prime illustration- and the parts they play in the film could have easily been excluded in favor of greater exploration of the historical Modigliani. His development as an artist, by way of example, is completely ignored. The viewer, therefore, is never quite sure whether the sympathy the film builds for the title character is warranted or not. Until the end, the film begs the question of whether Modigliani was any good as an artist...or not.

is one of those historical/biographical films that so invests the viewer with a sympathy for and interest in the central character, also the music of the soundtrack is really very good by Guy Farley


5/5 Masterpiece!
  by Ingrid (Norway)
This film is nothing less than a masterpiece in my opinion! It really fascinated me, not having any knowledge about Modigliano in advance. The acting is brilliant and the story masterly told. It is so gripping seeing how hard life was for this artist. But also interesting to witness the feud he and Picasso were having. Tragedy, love and rivalry are all themes in this film. Living in total poverty and having suffered great loss, one can wonder how anyone can survive and also stay sane. And perhaps it wasn't possible.

The film is about Amedeo Clemente Modigliani's (July 12, 1884 - January 24, 1920) life as an artist in France in the beginning of the 20th century. He was an Italian artist of Jewish heritage and was practising both painting and sculpture. The film tells about his relationship with Jeanne Hébuterne who loves him so much that she can't live without him and because of that has to make inhuman sacrifices. And her father disapproves the affair so much that he commits unspeakable acts and makes their life even harder. It shows the rivalry between Modigliani and Picasso. And how he never in life gets the recognition he deserves, his disappointments and hopes to succeed. How he never gives up. And the tragic death of this great artist.

5/5 MODIGLIANI
  by Ann E. Walter
Modigliani
GREAT STORY AND WHAT'S NOT TO LOVE ABOUT ANDY GARCIA? I LEARNED A LOT ABOUT THE ARTISTS FROM HIS TIME PERIOD,ESPECIALLY MODIGLIANI AND PICASSO.
HAVING BEEN TO SPAIN IN 2007, I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO VISIT THE SOFIA REINA MUSEUM AND THE PRADO, SO I SAW MUCH OF THE ART FROM THE PAINTERS OF THEIR PERIOD, INCLUDING PICASSO. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS ONE FOR HISTORY BUFFS AND FANS OF TRAGIC LOVE STORIES.
ANN WALTER