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After a few avant-garde films, director Peter Greenaway returns to a more theatrical style.

I love director Peter Greenaway.  His work is dynamic and interesting.  He’s very self-aware and his films have a Brecht-ian feel about them.  His latest, Nightwatching, is Greenaway at this most theatrical.  It’s a more of a return to his films of a decade ago.  Less avant-garde than his Tulse Luper series, Nightwatching is a sumptuous murder mystery that fans will enjoy but it won’t find many new converts.

Based on Rembrandt’s famous painting “The Night Watch”, Greenaway takes the baroque painters work to heart and uses light and dark to paint his scenes.  Nightwatching is an opulent piece filled with rich colors, textures and visuals.  Greenaway frames each scene like a painting with very few tracking shot.  For the most part, the camera is locked down the scenes play out in front of the audience making everyone acutely aware that they are watching a staged production.

Martin Freeman (The Office, Hitchhicker’s Guide to the Galaxy) is Rembrandt.  He’s at the height of his success and everyone wants his attention.  He is married to Saskia (Eva Birthistle) though a business match but the two have grown to love each other over time.  When Saskia gets pregnant, Rembrandt accepts a commission to paint the Amsterdam Civil Guard.  After one of their members is killed by a supposed accidental musket shot, Rembrandt discovers that there is more to the guard than just a bunch of power-hungry men.  He suspects that the man was murdered and one of the Guard is responsible.  As he sets about uncovering the murderer, he also discovers that the orphanage under the Guard’s protection has been turned into a child brothel.  Rembrandt uses his painting to condemn the Guard and the men he feels are responsible.

Freeman, known for his comedic acting, carries the film.  He’s impressively good as the Dutch painter.  With Greenaway’s style he could have easily failed miserably.  Freeman brings the painter to life in what could have easily been a very theatrical performance.  Birthistle has excellent chemistry with Freeman and two play off each other very well.

Greenaway takes great liberties with the story and concocts an elaborate tale around the meaning of the images in “The Night Watch”.  He takes great time setting everything up for the big reveal of the painting to the Civil Guard.  It’s a great payoff as all the images in the painting are explained.  The real stars of Nightwatching are the incredible sets and lighting.  The darks are deep and black, while the light cuts though the gloom.  The sets are just enough to convey what is needed but still retain the feel of 1600’s Holland.  Greenaway is able to capture Rembrandt’s time to beautiful effect.

The downside of Nightwatching is the film meanders along and the third act feels like it will go on forever.  After the big reveal and the Civil Guard plots their revenge, the movie doesn’t seem to know where it wants to go.  Things happen in Rembrandt’s life with no feeling of time.  It could be days, weeks or months that play out but it’s hard to tell.  At over two hours, Greenaway gets carried away with visuals and theatricality of everything that he forgets to advance the plot.

Fan of Peter Greenaway will be glad to see the director returning to the style of his 90’s films.  If you enjoyed Prospero’s Book and Pillow Book, Nightwatching will appeal to you.  If you’ve always found Greenaway to be an overindulgent, pretentious director, your opinion will not change.

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