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The Illusionist

The Illusionist

Nothing is what it seems

2006110 minPG-13Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films
Director
Neil Burger
Starring
Edward Norton, Paul Giamatti, Jessica Biel, Rufus Sewell

With his eye on a lovely aristocrat, a gifted illusionist named Eisenheim uses his powers to win her away from her betrothed, a crown prince. But Eisenheim's scheme creates tumult within the monarchy and ignites the suspicion of a dogged inspector.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Illusionist?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Illusionist streaming on AMC+ and Pluto TV (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about The Illusionist?

The Illusionist earns 8 badges, led by Universally Loved and Top 10% of films.

  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is The Illusionist worth watching?

The Illusionist's Midcredits score is the 93rd percentile of all films, from 580K ratings across 6 sources. 85% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

93rd percentile

Better received than 93% of films

94th percentile among Drama93rd percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)88th
Approval (how many liked it)95th

73 /100

88th percentile of all films

90th percentile among Drama87th percentile among 2000s

Critics 68 · Audience 74

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A tight consensus around 7.7 — people broadly agree on this one.

85% liked it

95th percentile of all films

95th percentile among Drama95th percentile among 2000s
85% rated it 7–1015% rated it 1–6

Critics 74% · Audience 83%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 1 Oscar noms · 10 wins / 10 noms overall

  • NominatedAcademy Awards· Best Achievement in Cinematography

97th percentile

580K ratings across platforms

98th percentile among Drama95th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 40 days to Oct 26Down 31% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$17M
Opening weekend$928K
Domestic gross$40M
Worldwide gross$88M

Returned 5.3× its budget — 96th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A handsomely crafted period mystery about a magician whose illusions blur the line between trickery and the supernatural.

Fans praised

  • mesmerizing central performance by Edward Norton
  • lush period atmosphere and beautiful cinematography
  • satisfying, clever twist ending

Detractors panned

  • predictable plot twists telegraphed early
  • over-reliance on CGI illusions that undermine authenticity
  • thin romantic chemistry between leads

What stands out

Cinematography82

Sepia-toned, soft-focus visual style praised as gorgeous and atmospheric

Atmosphere80

Immersive turn-of-the-century Vienna, opulent sets and costumes

ActingDivisive77

Norton and Giamatti praised for nuanced performances; detractors find Norton hollow and Biel miscast

Sound and music75

Philip Glass score praised as haunting and atmospheric

EndingDivisive65

Clever twist satisfying for fans; obvious or unsatisfying for detractors

Effects and spectacleDivisive65

Magical illusions visually captivating; heavy CGI criticized as inauthentic

Plot and storyDivisive55

Clever illusion-driven structure vs predictable twist and contrivances

CharactersDivisive55

Giamatti's conflicted inspector well-drawn; leads' romance underdeveloped

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 3 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 7 points apart
  • Critics vs users 4 points apart
  • US vs non-US 3 points apart

Watch experience

What is The Illusionist like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Romantic: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are in the mood for a love story.

It is intense, takes its time and leaves you feeling good. Skip it when you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Patience.

What it feels like

Romantic.

The answer rests on this: Moods
RomanticTenseMelancholicTriumphant
Heaviest: late
Register
Romantic · 8% of filmsTender · 13% of films
Told as
Frame story · 5% of films: A story told inside another — someone is recounting it.In medias res · 1% of films: Opens mid-action, then fills in how we got there.
ToneThe film plays its period romance and mystery with earnest sincerity, never winking at the audience.
The rideThe film balances romantic yearning with political tension, and the heaviest emotional stretch arrives in the final act as the plot resolves.
StructureThe story begins with Eisenheim's arrest, then Uhl recounts events leading up to it, returning to the frame at the end.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Feeling good.

Feel-goodHopeful
Why it leaves you this wayThe film's clever resolution leaves the viewer with a warm sense of justice and the triumph of love.
How it ends · evidence
Happy endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).MonsterTyrant
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% (this title) · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Tyrant: A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).

21% of films fit this archetype

with Mystery underneath

Why this archetypeEisenheim uses his stage illusions to stage a deception that frees Sophie from the Crown Prince and exposes his brutality.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfRomanticlove
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% (this title) · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% (this title) · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9% (this title)
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Romantic love · 15% of filmsDeception · 9% of filmsJustice · 13% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on a love that defies class boundaries and a corrupt regime, requiring elaborate deception to achieve justice.
StanceThe film celebrates romantic love's power to outwit tyranny and social barriers.

The world

19th centuryUrbanRuralDomesticInstitutionalStylized realism
Orchestral classicalFolkForeground music · original score · Philip Glass
SettingVienna and the Austrian countryside, 1889
MusicGlass's piano-driven score pulses beneath the period drama, lending a hypnotic, modern edge.

Content guide

Is The Illusionist okay for kids?

PG-13

The Illusionist is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for some sexuality and violence” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (43/100), sexual content at moderate (36/100), language at mild (30/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (36/100) and frightening material at moderate (36/100). Overall it is heavier than 28% of PG-13-rated films.

Ratings in 18 other countries
  • UKPG
  • Canada18A
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany12
  • FranceU
  • Ireland12A
  • South Korea15
  • Brazil14
  • Denmark15
  • FinlandK-12
  • Greece13
  • MexicoB
  • Netherlands12
  • Norway15
  • PortugalM/12
  • Spain7
  • Sweden7
  • Switzerland12
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 21% of all filmsHeavier than 28% of PG-13-rated films
Violence & Gore
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 45%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 67%
Profanity
Mild
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 19%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 71%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 36%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is violence, heavier than 45% of PG-13-rated films.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does The Illusionist have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Illusionist?

Cast

1 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Edward Norton
as Eisenheim
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Paul Giamatti
as Inspector Uhl
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Jessica Biel
as Sophie
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Rufus Sewell
as Crown Prince Leopold
Eddie Marsan
as Josef Fischer
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson
as Young Eisenheim
newcomer then · star now
Eleanor Tomlinson
as Young Sophie
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Tom Fisher
as Willigut
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
Karl Johnson
as Doctor
Vincent Franklin
as Loschek
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like The Illusionist?

Movies like The Illusionist include Beautiful Creatures (2013), The Age of Adaline (2015) and The Lover (1992). Of the 12 closest matches, most are forbidden-love stories, and several are films about royalty and aristocracy.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

11 of these 12 share its subject: romantic love. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with The Illusionist?

43 other films share the rarest tag below, follows: stage magician. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.