The Man Who Killed Don Quixote is a fantasy adventure film directed and co-written by Terry Gilliam. The movie is loosely based on Miguel de Cervantes' classic novel, Don Quixote. The film follows the story of an advertising executive Toby Grisoni, played by Adam Driver, who gets transported back in time during a film shoot and meets the iconic literary character, Don Quixote.
Toby Grisoni, a director who once filmed a version of Don Quixote, goes to Spain to shoot a commercial. When he arrives, he comes across a bootleg copy of his student film called âThe Man Who Killed Don Quixoteâ. He heads down to the village where he made the film and finds that the locals are re-enacting it, with the lead actor, Javier (Jonathan Pryce), still believing himself to be his character, Don Quixote.
The film takes place across multiple timelines, as Toby discovers that his filming and its subject matter caused chaos, and inadvertently inspired a series of events that have set some very strange things in motion. The longer he spends in this Spanish village, the more he starts to fear that he might actually be losing his mind, just like Don Quixote. He is pulled into the fantasies of his protagonist, as the two embark on a fantastical and absurd journey that will test Toby's loyalty to reality, and Quixote's loyalty to his illusions.
The plot of the movie revolves around Toby's attempts to make peace with his past and right the wrongs he caused by filming his student film. The film is a story about the past and the present colliding, as Toby comes to realize how his obsession with making the perfect film has affected the people around him.
With themes of reality vs. fantasy, the power of storytelling and the consequences of our actions, the film creates a rich tapestry of characters, each with their own unique journey.
But the heart of the movie is the relationship between Toby and Don Quixote. Jonathan Pryce gives a magnificent performance as the chivalrous and delusional character of Don Quixote, while Adam Driver is perfectly cast as Toby Grisoni, the disillusioned director who struggles to keep pace with Quixote's impossible dream-world.
The performances of Pryce and Driver are supported by a fantastic ensemble cast, which includes Stellan Skarsgard as the brash businessman who sets Toby and Don Quixote off on their mad adventure, and Olga Kurylenko as the mysterious woman who weaves her way in and out of their story.
The production design of the film deserves special mention, with its sun-drenched Spanish vistas, grand castles, and windmills. The lush cinematography gives the film an epic, dreamlike quality, making it a feast for the eyes.
Overall, The Man Who Killed Don Quixote is a delightful, surreal and poignant film, filled with heart, soul, and humor. Despite its chaotic production history, the film is an artistic and storytelling triumph that stands as a testament to the enduring power of Miguel de Cervantes' timeless masterpiece.
