Charlatan

Holland... deftly moves the story through its present and past and elicits understated performances throughout the entire cast, all without excessive sentimentality.

Often as thorny as its subject but also oddly fascinated by his near-magical abilities, "Charlatan" is a temporary cure for the common biopic.

Throughout the film, Agnieszka Holland makes clear that she isn't interested in easily digestible pop-psychology nuggets.

There's an austere elegance to Holland's film-making...

The venerable veteran director Agnieszka Holland has made a tasty, if not fully-baked, biographical drama about an obstinate man whose life was as difficult as he was.

Polish director Agnieszka Holland has made another fascinating but disjointed biopic about a little-known figure whose story helps to reveal the soul of 20th century Europe.

In an era like the present, where new authoritarian powers...attack in turn against uncomfortable scientific research, against wokism or any sexual discord, a film like Charlatan reveals great political significance. [Full review in Spanish]

As a biographical drama, it examines the ethical ambiguity and power of alternative medicine, yet what could have been a complex study becomes a scattered narrative, often marred by erratic direction from Holland. [Full review in Spanish]

This is a confused but intriguing character study, and an even-handed look at our perceptions of alternative medicine.

A sea of contradictions... a refreshing portrait of a man with all his contradictions. [Full review in Spanish]