The Grand Illusion

Aging filmmaker Leonard Fife (Richard Gere), still fiery despite his battle with illness, wants to tell his life story, unfiltered, before it’s too late. As the director of acclaimed documentary exposés, he has much to be proud of, but his Vietnam War draft-dodging and his past relationships harbor thorny truths. Leonard sits for an extended interview with his former student Malcolm (Michael Imperioli), relating candid stories about his younger self (Jacob Elordi) in the tumultuous 1960s and beyond. At Leonard’s insistence, his wife and indispensable artistic partner, Emma (Uma Thurman), bears witness to it all. His successes are held up against his failings and, as the man is cleansed of the myth, Leonard must confront what is left.

Paul Schrader’s adaptation of Russell Banks’s novel sees him reunited with Gere more than 40 years after AMERICAN GIGOLO, and together they deliver a moving and deeply personal take on this story of an artist reflecting on a lifetime of storytelling. Named one of the ten best movies of the year by Richard Brody of The New Yorker.

“Schrader bravely forsakes the narrative fastidiousness of his recent work and takes on grand themes of memory, mortality, and artistic self-reckoning, to formally ragged but sincerely moving effect.” Justin Chang, The New Yorker

“There’s much to like here, particularly in Gere’s vulnerable performance and just how openly Schrader is expressing what feels like his own concerns about aging, regret, and reputation.” Brian Tallerico, RogerEbert.com

“Gere gives his best performance in years, evoking Philip Baker Hall in the similarly confessional Secret Honor, at once defiant, uncertain and just the slightest bit frightened.” Hannah Strong, Little White Lies