The premise is rich: the Inquisition, the Enlightenment, the Napoleonic invasion, and Goya as a troubled witness to it all. Yet the film jumps between historical episodes without building a consistent narrative spine. Just when it seems ready to dig deeper, it skips ahead as if entire chapters didn’t matter. Visually, it has strength. The production design is lush, the cinematography refined, and Stellan Skarsgård delivers a compelling presence. Ironically, though, Goya himself feels sidelined in his own story. The screenplay struggles with tone and focus. One moment it carefully explains events; the next, it rushes past crucial developments in Spanish history. That uneven rhythm makes the film feel more like an ambitious melodrama than a fully realized historical portrait. It’s not without merit. There are striking scenes and undeniable craft. But it ultimately feels like a missed opportunity — impressive in parts, disjointed as a whole.

I had never seen this movie before or ever heard of it. Watched it last night and wow what a well done movie, the emotions were amazingly portrayed. Sad story overall didnt expect it to be such a sad tale.