Eiffel (2021)

The government is asking Eiffel to design something spectacular for the 1889 Paris World Fair, but Eiffel simply wants to design the subway. Suddenly, everything changes when Eiffel crosses paths with a mysterious woman from his past.

EIFFEL is a pleasantly entertaining historical drama/romance. It’s a story I never knew despite, of course, knowing how significant the Eiffel Tower is to France. Gustav Eiffel, the man who designed and built the tower, was an eccentric, brilliant character and carries the film. It was a controversial design and the tensions surrounding the project are well presented. For its time, building the Eiffel Tower we know today was an incredible engineering feat. The main focus of the movie is on this aspect. But, apart from the engineering achievement, the project also faced financial and political problems. The fact that the resolution of these challenges are never fully explored is a significant flaw in the telling of the story. Despite that, it is a solid piece of entertainment.

(In cinemas in Australia – check your movie guide for your local show times.)