One of the most beguiling, profound films ever made about the elusive art of acting, Desplechin’s first English-language work stars Summer Phoenix in a fascinating, almost feral performance as the enigmatic title character, who goes from rebellious, odd-duck child of the Jewish slums to celebrated stage actress in late-19th-century London. With its starkly unromanticized depiction of the theater and outré central performance, Esther Kahn divided critics upon its release, but has since rightfully emerged as an auteurist cause célèbre for the way that it pinpoints the mysterious, alchemical combination of personality, ambition, and often painful lived experience that goes into crafting a performance.
