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Overrated! A Review by |
| Punch me in the
mouth...do it! Just punch me in the face! Why do I feel I need physically abused? Because
I'm a damn sucker! Sell me a bridge, tell me that Britney Spears swallowed 8 ounces of
jizzim, tell me anything, I'll probably believe it. Why have I just suddenly realized how
big a sap I am? The movie Pollock is the reason for all this self-loathing. Here's why... Coming into this movie I didn't know a lick about Jackson Pollock. Sure I know the little things, including he was an artist and was responsible for the "splatter-paint" looking paintings. Personally I assumed he was BS and was just a product of his times. I figured his fame was due to him just being the first to do something. I was planning on painting with husk, figuring perhaps I could gain a similar push. But then I hear Ed Harris has been pushing to get a biopic of the artist made. That Harris is so hellbent on the project, that he not only wants to direct, he wants to star. So instantly I give Pollock a little more credibility in my mind. I've always been a fan of Harris, and if he has so much enthusiasm about the project than Pollock must be something special. The next step of my suckering starts with the reviews that poured in. Positive review after positive review hyped up this hard to find movie. Then the Academy Award's roll in and Harris was nominated for Best Actor and Marcia Gay Harden got a nod for Best Supporting Actress. Then not only did Harden get nominated..BUT SHE FREAKEN WON! Like a fish on a line, I was completely hooked. This movie didn't come to any theaters around me, but with all the praise it received I HAD to see this movie when it hit DVD. Pollock hit DVD a couple weeks ago, and I finally got the time to view it last night. I was ready to see a great "film." After weeks of summer bullshit in the theaters (American Pie 2, Jurassic Park 3, Planet of the Apes, Tomb Raider), I was ready for a movie that had some damn substance. So last night after a night walk around Cedar Falls and nice dip of Skoal, I was prepared to reveal in the celluloid greatness that was Pollock. Then I put the movie in...and everything was downhill from there. There's no sense telling the story of the movie, it's pretty obvious. It tells the story of Jackson Pollock...nuff said. He goes from an obscure abstract painter into a very famous artist thanks to his new technique of splattering, dripping, and throwing paint on the canvas. Pollock is a raging alcoholic and at times his addiction threatens to destroy his career, but it never seems to be enough to destroy his fame. Well, that's the story and that's about as interesting as it gets. This movie is supposed to get us into the mind of Pollock and appreciate him for his place in art history. I personally don't see how that's accomplished. Personally I don't see how anyone could feel compassion for a man that cheats on his wife, drinks like a fish, and nearly kills the woman he loves. Not once in the movie did I feel any compassion for the man. And the way Pollock starts painting in his new technique seems like just luck. He happens to throw some paint on the floor and it gets him all riled up. Never do we get a glimpse into his mind, instead we just get moment after moment where Pollock inspires more and more contempt for him in my mind. The movie isn't complete horseshit, far from it. I just see the subject matter as not compelling enough. The movie has one classic line though, one that I will never forget. An art interviewer asks Pollock how does he know when he's done with a painting, since it's hard to tell with his style. Pollock replies with, "How do you know when you're done making love?" Classic. If the movie had more moments like this, it would be worth the hype. Instead I see it as a great letdown and another instance of the Academy dropping the ball. Don't take the bait, don't be a sucker like me. Steer clear of Pollock. Rating: 
out of four. |
-Now that you've read something, he's written. Wouldn't you like to find out more about Goc? Here you go. |
