Van Gogh review

Why you can trust GamesRadar+ Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about our reviews policy.

With his ear-lopping, absinthe-swilling antics, it's no wonder Vincent Van Gogh has been the subject of so many biopics - from Vincente Minnelli's Lust For Life in 1956 to Robert Altman's Vincent And Theo in 1990.

Director Maurice Pialat's stunning 1991 French effort is definitely the best of the lot, leaving aside the clichéd craziness in favour of a measured look at Van Gogh's final three months. Burned out by whores, booze and the demands of his muse, Vincent (Jacques Dutronc) travels to the countryside where patron Gachet (Gérard Séty) keeps a watchful eye on him.

Capturing the artist's temperament without sensationalising the action, Pialat sketches an engaging portrait of Van Gogh's final days. Best of all, by choosing to focus on such a short period of time, Pialat gives lead man Dutronc the space to summon a monumental, intense performance as the ragged artist laid low by his own quiet despair. Outstanding.

The Total Film team are made up of the finest minds in all of film journalism. They are: Editor Jane Crowther, Deputy Editor Matt Maytum, Reviews Ed Matthew Leyland, News Editor Jordan Farley, and Online Editor Emily Murray. Expect exclusive news, reviews, features, and more from the team behind the smarter movie magazine. 

Latest in Comedy Movies
The Monkey
Horror movie marketing ups its game once again, as the team behind The Monkey sends a gross-out bus to drive around Hollywood
Shrek 5
Dune and Spider-Man star Zendaya is Shrek and Fiona’s daughter in the first meme-filled teaser for Shrek 5 and this is the happiest I’ve been since Shrek 2
A Minecraft Movie stills
Jack Black playing Minecraft is the most wholesome thing you'll see all day
Blake Lively as Emily in Another Simple Favor
7 years on from the original, Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick reunite in sinister, sun-soaked first trailer for comedy thriller sequel Another Simple Favor
Al Pacino in Jack and Jill
32 movies with Oscar-winning actors in bizarre roles
Theo James in The Monkey
The Monkey's Tatiana Maslany reacts to the horror movie's most shocking death: "It's so wrong, and I think that's why it's so right"
Latest in Reviews
Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 DEX gaming mouse standing upright on a wooden desk
Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 DEX review: "a force to be reckoned with"
Daredevil: Born Again
Daredevil: Born Again season 1 review: "There have been far worse Marvel projects, but few as disappointing as this"
RTX 5070 Founders Edition and Asus Prime OC graphics card standing vertical on woodgrain desk next to plant and monitor
No, the RTX 5070 isn’t an RTX 4090 rival, but I’d still call it a solid 4K GPU for under $600
The two characters in Split Fiction dressed in fantasy gear each with a dragon on their back
Split Fiction review: "Cements Hazelight as the master of co-op games"
Acer Nitro V 14 gaming laptop on a wooden desk
Acer Nitro V 14 review: "a solid value proposition… if you can find one"
Alienware Pro Wireless gaming keyboard in a desk setup
Alienware Pro Wireless gaming keyboard review: "a nostalgic return to mechanical form"