Natalie Portman vows to tell the truth.

The film's title hints that the story may revolve around the legendary painter's artwork.  It doesn't.  "Goya's Ghosts" reaches further, perhaps too far, and attempts to encapsulate the hysteria of that time -- the power shifts, the unjust suspicions, the violence, the wars, the religious fear.  Francisco Goya just happens to be one of the main characters.  It is his supposedly demonic artwork that sets into motion a catholic witch hunt.

One of the hunt's many victims is Inés (Natalie Portman), a young woman in a wealthy family who happens to do the wrong thing in the wrong place at the wrong time.  One night at a local tavern, she refuses to eat some of the served pork because she dislikes the taste and because the young pig is served whole.  It turns her off the meal entirely.

Natalie Portman seeks safety with Javier Bardem.

Two of the local Spanish priests, who have been given orders by Brother Lorenzo (Javier Bardem) to look out for suspicious behavior, notice that Inés refuses the pork.  They report the act and Inés is soon arrested on charges of Judaism.  She is put to "The Question" and confesses to anything they want to charge her with.  She screams, "Tell me what the truth is!"

Lorenzo is having Goya paint his portrait at this time, making regular visits to the artist's home.  Inés is also a regular model for Goya, serving as his muse when painting angels.  After being alerted by her father, Goya is determined to ask Lorenzo's help in setting her free.

Javier Bardem rekindles the Spanish Inquisition.

The film spans many years, sometimes taking long leaps.  There are many important parts that are skipped in favor of a relatively brisk running time.  Here is another perfect example of a film that deserves needs an extra thirty minutes... at least.

It would be hard to describe all the events crammed between the credits -- there are revolutions, rapes, births, invasions, more revolutions, lies, deaths and individual tragedies.

If the film had remained more intimate, focusing on the individuals rather than reaching for the enormity of the situation, it would have been a truly powerful and moving film.  As it stands, it is a very well made film whose ambition gets in the way of telling an emotional story.

The acting is impeccable.  The two stand-outs are Javier Bardem and Natalie Portman.  Both of them dig deep to find intense emotions along their character's paths.  Bardem's role requires many shifts in tone.  It is another fine performance on his stellar résumé.

Stellan Skarsgård's Goya is deaf to Bardem's corruption.

Portman tackles her most difficult role to date with talent that would make Meryl Streep jealous.  Essentially, the film requires her to play three roles... Young, healthy, vibrant, Inés... A tortured, battered, abused, insane Inés... And her orphaned daughter, Alicia.  It will no doubt rank as one of the finest performances of 2007 -- and solidifies Portman's status as the best young actress in the world, by a country mile.

Skarsgård plays Goya rather straightforwardly.  The role is almost one of 'observer to history'.  He is our guide to the events... never really becoming the focus of them.  It is an odd role that may strike some as under-explored.

Natalie Portman alone in a revolution.

I cannot deny that I am a tad disappointed by Milos Forman's choices in "Goya's Ghosts".  He didn't feel the need to describe the history of Austria in "Amadeus".  He didn't feel the need to venture outside the walls of the asylum in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest".  However, here, on too many occasions, he veers away from the characters that we are invested in.  It keeps the film at arm's length, often being informative rather than meaningful.

All that said, "Goya's Ghosts" represents quality cinema with some tremendous acting, glorious set design and costuming, and massive ambition.  In general, I am inclined to praise all the things it gets right and to forgive the failure to hit some of its lofty goals.

Francisco Goya painting by candlelight.