Perfect movies are rare, but it’s hard to argue against 2019’s Portrait of a Lady on Fire falling into this category. Of course, everyone will have their own metrics to decide whether a movie is “perfect” or not, considering all art is subjective. To some people, perfection may be an unachievable goal, while others may describe a film as perfect if it manages to elicit profound emotions in its audience. This dissonance is why the concept of perfection is something that rarely enters into film criticism, but some movies are so good that they require a bit of hyperbole.

2019 produced several modern classics. While Parasite made history as the first non-English language film to win Best Picture at the Oscars, there were plenty of other great movies which are destined to go down in history. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Ford v Ferrari, 1917, Knives Out and more all have the potential to become true classics in the coming years. As for Céline Sciamma’s Portrait of a Lady on Fire, it’s fair to say that it’s already achieved this distinction in some circles. Although it isn’t as widely known as some of these other movies, those who have seen it tend to agree on its quality.

2019’s Portrait Of A Lady On Fire May Be Cinema’s Most Recent “Perfect” Movie

The Period Romance Is Gorgeously Crafted

Portrait of a Lady on Fire tells the story of two women, one of whom is sent to surrepтιтiously paint the other so that her portrait can be used to find her a suitor. Over the course of one summer together, Marianne and Héloïse form an intimate connection that goes beyond the ordinary confines of painter and subject. They begin an intense romantic affair that threatens to uproot their entire lives, given the restrictive atтιтudes of their time. Portrait of a Lady on Fire‘s unforgettable ending is the final heartbreak in an exquisitely crafted love story that touches on duty, gender, queer idenтιтy and much more.

Since Portrait of a Lady on Fire is about painting, it makes sense that it’s one of the most visually stunning movies of recent years. Sciamma’s keen eye for spectacle turns the screen into her canvas, as the windswept French island becomes the ideal setting for a series of jaw-dropping landscapes. When the characters have more intimate moments, Sciamma proves that she can paint in portrait too, and her use of light and sH๏τ composition makes Portrait of a Lady on Fire look as though it were designed by Turner, Sargent or Vermeer. This overpowering beauty always serves a purpose to the narrative.

Sciamma luxuriates in the slow pace of Portrait of a Lady on Fire. The steady, mundane way of life that the women share in their isolation seems idyllic. However, the looming inevitability of their separate futures is never too far from sight. Sciamma has her audience hoping against all logic that some fine miracle can intervene and ensure that there’s a happy ending, even though Portrait of a Lady on Fire uses a frame narrative to show that there will be no such savior. The steady pace also draws more attention to the brief eruptions of unbridled pᴀssion, like with Sciamma’s sparse use of music.

Some 2020s Movies Have Come Close To Being Perfect From Start To Finish

Some Recent Movies Are Already Bound To Be Classics Many Years From Now

The 2020s are more than halfway over, but one could argue that no movie has yet surpᴀssed Portrait of a Lady on Fire. This doesn’t mean that there have been no new classics, however. In many cases, it takes a few years for a new film to become truly appreciated, and for its legacy to be cemented among critics and audiences. The 2020s have already produced many movies which will ultimately be spoken of as masterpieces, especially genre classics like the Dune movies, Top Gun: Maverick and Everything Everywhere All at Once.

Ultimately, it comes down to personal taste whether a movie should be described as “perfect” or not, but there’s been no real consensus on any films from the 2020s so far. Oppenheimer has been hailed as Christopher Nolan’s masterpiece, but it also has its critics. Slightly smaller movies like Aftersun, All of Us Strangers and Past Lives fall into the same discussion, but they may fall just short of the nebulous idea of perfection. Portrait of a Lady on Fire is on its way to becoming an undeniable masterpiece, although it still needs more exposure. If it can grow its audience in the next few years, it could still be recognized as one of the greatest movies ever made.