Gurlyndrobb While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

Kaydan Christian A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

Leoni Haney Yes, absolutely, there is fun to be had, as well as many, many things to go boom, all amid an atmospheric urban jungle.

Brennan Camacho Mostly, the movie is committed to the value of a good time.

SnoopyStyle It's 1792 Madrid. The Inquisition is interested in painter Francisco Goya (Stellan Skarsgård)'s provocative art. Luckily for him, brother Lorenzo Casamares (Javier Bardem) is his supportive patron. Inés Bilbatúa (Natalie Portman) is brought into the Inquisition for not eating pork. She is accused of being a Judaiser and put into a stress position called The Question. Her rich merchant father asks Goya to invite Lorenzo for dinner. He in turn puts Lorenzo into The Question to coerce an outlandish confession. He blackmails Lorenzo to help get Inés released.The first hour is terrific. It has dark and tense turns. The characters are great. It builds up a compelling drama. The first problem starts with the family letting Goya leave as they torture Lorenzo. He could easily have gone to the authorities. It's a small logic break but then the story expands in scope and out of shape. This could have been a great movie if it stayed small. Milos Forman goes crazy and then the French invades. The second half is more convoluted and there are too many convenient turns. By way of explaining, I almost half-believed in this as a real Goya story. Granted, I don't know anything about the artist but these characters seem real enough. By the second half, there is no chance that this is anywhere near reality. This is half of a great movie.

Kirpianuscus and it is not easy or fair to say why. but, no doubt, it is a magnificent film. for performances - Natalie Portman remains the revelation. for atmosphere. for the grace of details. for a realistic Goya, as part of his work. for Javier Bardem who is sensational. and, sure, or the force of the mark of Milos Forman who gives another great fresco about a period and people and faith and fear and love and sacrifice. it is a piece of pure art and this status does it special. because it propose questions and a dramatic story about a man victim of his deep feelings. and about the mission of the artist. and about the truth.

Irving Warner The acting and production values are of the highest order in "Goya's Ghost". Because I don't get around much anymore, I had not seen Ms Portman in a movie until "Ghost", and was very impressed, for like all the roles in this movie, her's was challenging. Javier Bardem is tough to equal in any movie, and as the 'heavy', (another heavy?!) he is outstanding; Stellan Skarsgård has come a long, long ways since "The Ox", and he has had a mixture of roles, some of them pretty thankless. As Goya, he does very well--a great actor. Natalie Portman--as I was a first timer regards seeing her work, I was bowled over--her role requires a terrible transformation, and makeup only goes so far, acting must be the key ingredient. So, along with the outstanding set designs and production values, Forman created another outstanding period piece. By the way, the actress Blanca Portillo who does the Spanish queen has a key small part--and you'll know her best scene when you see it! The story? It is about a wretched time and wretched people in a position of trust who violate that and prey on whomever they can. I think "Ghost" might not be for those who are not really into period pieces, but I am!

loepp In movies about or involving painters, I'm always interested in the portrayal of the process and results of the art and then curious about who is the artist who made it for the film. I liked the paintings and sketches made for the film and felt their approximation of what Goya might have done had he actually painted those characters was good. An exact rendition would be impossible so I'm happy with just the illusion of good art. The portrait of Bardem's Lorenzo was particularly impressive and I liked his reaction. Someone had questioned in their review, why Goya becomes infatuated with Ines and her plight and why it isn't explained. The simple answer is that he painted her. Unless there was an involved narration or depiction of the act of painting and posing it goes without words that much was communicated with or without words during the collaboration of creating a portrait. A portrait painter examines a person, an object or scene with as much or more intensity as any other practitioner of art, science or observation. Goya would have become a person without prejudice and not quick to judge someone harshly. He would have known a great deal about Ines and Lorenzo and especially their better side, that which they would have put forth for his portrayal. Stellan Skarsgård's portrayal of Goya makes perfect sense.