“The Illusionist” opens in limited theaters Feb. 11. (Sony PIctures Classics)

In the slew of animated films that were released this year, not too many can boast that they are just as appealing to adults as they are to kids. However, the British feature film “The Illusionist,” isn’t just for children, but for the young at heart as well.

Set in between France and Edinburgh, the film follows an aging magician as he struggles to a find venue that still supports his dying art of magic. With the popularity of rock music, the illusionist is struggling to compete with the fictional band “The Britoons,” similar to The Beatles.

Desperate for anyone to appreciate his magic, the illusionist finally finds his audience from a remote Scottish island that is celebrating the arrival of electricity.

It is there that the story really takes off. After performing a show that was much appreciated by the crowd (a rarity for his act), the illusionist leaves the quaint village to travel to the large city of Edinburgh, Scotland in search for more work. However, on his way out of the small village, the illusionist is accompanied by the story’s other main character Alice.

Instantly forming a father-daughter relationship, the illusionist and Alice live together in a small Edinburgh flat. Alice was accustomed to a nicer life than what the illusionist can provide for her. To satisfy Alice, the illusionist begins to work odd jobs at night trying to make ends meet, all while performing his nightly show.

The story is more about growing up and letting go, than it is about growing old. Throughout the film the illusionist is faced with the fact that one day Alice, the girl he loves as his daughter, will meet some handsome man and move out.

Don’t go into “The Illusionist,” expecting the razzle and dazzle of modern-day animated films illustrated in the classic, two-dimensional style of animation, watching “The Illusionist,” is like being in a Monet. The soft colors and golden light combined with the spot-on 1950s décor make “The Illusionist” just as good of a film as it is a work of art. By stripping down animation to its purest form, “The Illusionist,” doesn’t rely on technology to tell its story.

The film provides a necessary escape to the sometimes cringe-worthy animated films that are offered in mainstream theatres. If a vacation is what you need, then a trip to the Edinburgh countryside with “The Illusionist” is just right. The film is playing at the Angelika Film Center at Mockingbird Station.