Wow. I sat down to watch this a little angry at my new neighbors (renters) for building a bonfire so close to the house, and with a nasty headache from the resultant smoke wafting its way through my windows (via the AC units). That’s always a bad time to watch a movie, especially if you want to give it a fair shot.  But I knew within 15 minutes that this was one of my favorite movies of the year, and after half an hour, I thought it might be one of my favorites, period.

It’s a documentary, narrated by Penn Jillette (he and Teller seem to have produced/directed it), about his friend Tim Jenison, part inventor, part not-so-idle rich guy. To prove his theory that the painter Vermeer achieved such realism in his paintings through the use of something like a camera obscura, Jenison decides that he himself, although not a painter, will try to recreate one of Vermeer’s most famous works. Did I mention that he’s not a painter?

Now I don’t know much about art…or at least I know enough to know that I don’t know enough. So maybe this is all old hat. But I found it utterly fascinating. It was as gripping as any scripted work I’ve seen in a while, and it was an exhilarating feeling to think that by watching the film, I was being made privy to (maybe) answering one of the great mysteries of history. Like waiting to see what was in Al Capone’s vault, but with a much better payoff. (Sorry, Geraldo!) I’d like to know what someone who knows something about art and art history would think about this.

I really can’t recommend this enough. IMDB gives it an 8 even. I might be so moved to give it an 8.5. Even if you’re not much for documentaries, watch this one. It is, like Vermeer’s original, a masterpiece. (running time 1:20)