Where better for Bernard Rose to fully unhinge himself and run riot with his filmmaking than in the trappings of posh period drama? Those left deflated by 1994's Immortal Beloved might argue otherwise, but now that his wayward career has reached one bizarre depth after another, it's in the debauched lifestyle and furious virtuosity of master violinist Niccolo Paganini that Rose finds an opportunity to let loose, and boy, how loose indeed! Handsomely, though obviously cheaply, produced, The Devil's Violinist is a peculiar mix of classic costume drama (albeit a touch less tame than the usual) and outrageous unintentional comedy. Opening and closing scenes set in Italy have a pompous, portentous air reminiscent of the melodrama of comic book cartoons, suggesting a recklessness to Rose's approach that is confirmed only when he so suddenly and willingly changes gear upon arriving in London. Here, the high-campery of the acting and the truly awesome musical sequences - competently executed by non-actor David Garrett, which is an unconditional rave by any standards - buoy The Devil's Violinist along very nicely, with a cheeky sense of humour, but also a degree of focus and control that implies Rose has at least enough respect for cinema not to abandon all technique altogether and allow his work to simply lose all form and structure. He keeps us on board by not letting his film sink to the seabed, even if there might have been an appropriateness to witness it do so in this instance. The rambunctious vibrancy of the comedic elements bleeds into the musical scenes, which are as riveting as they absolutely must be in any biopic of this exquisite talent; if this film has one single biggest flaw, it's that it's not two hours of music, music, music. Actually, scratch that. Its biggest flaw is Garrett. No doubt, there's no place for a non-violinist to portray a violinist of any quality in a film, never mind one as extraordinary as Paganini. But just as he pays a price for his celebrity, we too pay a price for his musical ability, in that Garrett can't act. It's as plain as that. As an actor, he's thoroughly risible.
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