Strengths:
1.- Compelling work by Colin Firth as Vermeer and Scarlett Johansson as Griet
2.-Excellent visuals and notable costume design
3.-The soundtrack is beautiful and is well used throughout the film
4.-Very effective photography
5.-The film successfully captures the environment of 17th century Delft
6.-Offers a plausible story and a meditation on love and artistic inspiration
Weaknesses:
1. -The main villain is a shallow and underdeveloped character
2. -Other characters are equally uninteresting and it is hard for the viewer to feel invested in them
3. -Sadly, the structure of the plot is predictable and suffers from a lack of tension
4.-The dialogue is forgettable for the most part. The writing is not particularly polished
5.-Although the film is only 1h 30' long, it feels significantly longer due to pacing issues
On the whole I would recommend this interesting, but somewhat uneven, film to anyone seeking a slow but well-acted drama that tackles the theme of art. 'Girl with a Pearl Earring' contains some good ideas, even if their execution sometimes falters. The film is far from being a masterpiece, but it is entertaining enough to make it enjoyable to watch and very pleasant to the eye.
Grade: 6.4 / 10.
