Summary: Based on the novel by Tracy Chevalier, this is the tale of Griet who takes a position as a maid for Johannes Vermeer. Griet and Vermeer develop a bond and she soon becomes the inspiration for his work.

Set in 17th-century Holland, GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING follows the life of Griet (Scarlett Johansson), a young woman who must work as a maid to help her family make ends meet. Seeking employment at the home of renowned painter Johannes Vermeer (Colin Firth), Griet finds most of the household, including Vermeer's ever-pregnant wife (Essie Davis) and stern mother-in-law (Judy Parfitt), to be difficult and even hostile. However, she does form a unique bond with Vermeer himself, but this connection threatens to cause grief for both Griet and Vermeer. Complicating matters even further is attention from both Vermeer's wealthy patron Van Ruijven (Tom Wilkinson) and the charming local butcher's son (Cillian Murphy). Adapted from the book by Tracy Chevalier and helmed by first-time director Peter Webber, GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING creates a back story for Vermeer's famous painting of the same name. Johansson is excellent in her quiet, understated role, while Firth is suitably moody and enigmatic. However, the visuals are the true highlights of this remarkably photographed movie; Webber and, most notably, cinematographer Eduardo Serra establish a beautifully historic look and film every scene as if it were a series of gorgeous paintings in the style of that era. As a portrait of the life behind a portrait, GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING is an intriguing study of both art and desire.

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You wouldn't think a movie could look like a Vermeer painting, but Girl with a Pearl Earringis filmed with an amazing range of luminous glows that evoke the Dutch artist's masterworks. Of course, it helps that much of the movie focuses on Scarlett Johansson (Lost in Translation, Ghost World), whose creamy skin and full lips have a luminosity of their own. Johansson plays Griet, a maid in the household of Johannes Vermeer (Colin Firth), who finds herself in a web of jealousy, artistic inspiration, and social machinations. Though the pace is slow, Girl with a Pearl Earringgenuinely conveys some sense of an artist's process, as well as offering many chaste yet sensual moments between Firth and Johansson. Also featuring Essie Davis as Vermeer's bitter wife and Tom Wilkinson (In the Bedroom) as a wealthy patron with eyes for Griet. --Bret Fetzer

Main Language:	English
Region:	Region 2
Year:	2003
Release Date:	August 8, 2005
Runtime:	103 minutes
Certification:
Catalogue Number:	P 913801014
Keywords:	With, Book, Girl, General, Pearl, Drama, Period, Dvd & Book, Earring
Genre:	Drama