Velvet Revolver.
113 Mins. Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo, Toni Collette, Zawe Ashton, Tom Sturridge, Natalia Dyer, Daveed Diggs, Billy Magnussen & John Malkovich. Director: Dan Gilroy.
Picasso or Warhol. Art is art. But in some galleries there's a whiff of pretension that wafts through the conditioned air of its exhibits like smelling salts up your sinuses. But for every art dealer moving pieces by the millions that could mortgage a small country, there are self-shredding Banksy pieces that in almost making a parody of all this, look like corrupt firms at the end of movies destroying everything in sight that tear all that up. Sometimes you just have to take a step back...and another one...go on, to mosaic look at it all and take it in. Because stand close and for long enough and some art can really grab you and take you. Literally here in this Avant Garde piece with shades of 'The Portrait Of Dorian Gray' from Dan Gilroy who reunites with Jake Gyllenhaal, who was as creepy as the skin on his bones in 'Nightcrawler'. That also sees another reunion in this big three menage with Gilroy's amazing actress wife Rene Russo again on renaissance, revelation, 'Thomas Crown' form. Gyllenhaal back to punching weight after his boxing 'Southpaw' to night stringer bean, crawling shift plays an atypical snooty, bespectacled art critic who thinks a white shirt and pair of served tennis shoes goes with a suit instead of a tie. Holding his frames up like an open Justin Timberlake box present would be his poseable look of this former Disney 'Prince Of Persia' and Marvel Mysterio villain to be if his character was made into an action figure. Or more appropriately here, an alt-sculpture. Pressed against his pursed lips like the thinking man, or the prescription was for his mind and not his eyes. But even if your vision isn't 20/20, you can see that Netflix's latest pop product-complete with new icon I.D. and some opening artistic credits that really are a 'Catch Me If You Can't canvas master stroke-is a satire piece dressed up as an Instagram story hit click heart bait in a fake filtered world of social (media) validated style, starving for substance. It's like the 'Nightcrawler' team took one look at Paul Allen's card, put on a plastic raincoat and took an axe to the canvas. Splitting all our heads open before even giving us the chance to hear them out about how you should really listen to the lyrics of Huey Lewis and the News' catchy classic 'Hip To Be Square' (cue the Christian Bale, 'American Psycho' iconic shuffle). The undisputed masterpiece that's not just about the pleasures of conformity and the importance of trends, but also a personal statement about the band itself. And leaving us with a pair of popped eyeballs as we eat this all up. But what's really in fashion here?
Gloriously Gonzo. Gilroy's 'Velvet Buzzsaw' named after Russo's character bands punk past with a Slash revolver is a six shooter genre Russian Roulette, that goes from a thought provoking thriller and noirish dark comedy to a social tragedy that descends into the horror violence of a B-movie slasher flick by the knife. But none of the horrors here are frightening, despite the creepy canvas. Not even the jump scares will startle. You're more likely to feel alerted if a text comes through on your phone whilst watching what would have been big-screen, indie blockbuster bait if it wasn't for the small screen Netflix revolution that even takes its swipes at the (not so) smartphone age. And these wounds are more than superficial as it hits an industry as silly as this movie seems. But there's even hidden meanings in what looks on the vapid surface so simple. And maybe even warrants a refresh rewatch like the suburban T.V. dinner portion of an art piece. From how selfie absorbed people behave at a funeral, to the circling closing credits with the tide coming in to wash all this artful meaning away as we try to wash it all down like, "here take two of these and call me in the morning". Gyllenhaal who is great in Gilroy's gratuitous nature is on for another reunion with Netflix (the service streaming his 'Stronger' films like 'Prisoners', 'Source Code' and 'Nocturnal Animals') after appearing in the call of the wild to stop slaughtering animals for our own pound of flesh predatory nature in the outstanding 'Okja'. Which also starred his 'Wildlife' director and 'Prisoners' co-star Paul Dano, who along with nothing less than Jake gave us one of last year's best and now an Academy Oscar snub (are you telling me Carey Mulligan's powerful performance doesn't even deserve any award nomination? Please!). But from turning his nose up at frames, to keeping everything but the glasses on his head down in hallucination, Gyllenhaal gives us a fever dream of acting from the bottled Lost Angeles water to the downtown sweats. The clouds of celebrity to the fallen star from grace in character, acted to every human extreme. And when it comes to this type of expressed craft then if this isn't art. I clearly don't have the eye for what is. Hand me a pair of glasses darling.
But what sort of critic would I be for this film about an art one without picking everything apart (well hopefully not such a prick of one)? Every brush stroke. This fashioned film features a gallery of stars. Like the punk to pop art rousing Rene Russo. The more than scene stealing best in show here for an actress of acclaim who has stunned screens for decades ever since she went off the covers of Cosmo to be a true star in vogue. And if you thought the L.A. newsteam big-three reuniting by day for this art attack was grand then how about more than an acting one? Because the ever brilliant Toni Collette of 'Velvet Goldmine' circles this 'Buzzsaw', with a blonde Bob and fringe Tilda Swinton in 'Okja' would die for. The star who is really broke out even more with last year's 'Hereditary' horror show that even made noise to the blind coming out between the similar terrifying tones of 'A Quiet Place' and 'Bird Box' is so good, Netflix in promo of the ones they have of her call the films she's in a mood...and rightfully so. She really takes everything to another level. Even if it is British blitz actress Zawe Ashton who looks to intensely take everything over from these Hollywood Americans and the amazing Australian as the catalyst of this crazy piece of cinema. One that has so much paint on the palette. From 'Far From The Maddening Crowd's Tom Sturridge's shady international man of parody mystery, to 'Game Night' star Billy Magnussen's more than a handyman throwing a spanner in the works as the first one to play. But it's 'Black-ish' and 'Hamilton' stage star Daveed Diggs off Broadway who has the films funniest moment in an off-street, hit the ten seconds back button to hear it again hilarious reaction to someone getting critically shot down by a former flame. Burning bright in a cast that even has the assistance of 'Stranger Things' star Natalia Dyer on the Hollywood intern cusp of her own stardom and the legend of John Malkovich who is a new Netflix working man, rediscovering that old crazy form with this and a character so caustically squawking in 'Bird Box' Sandra Bullock (who is never, "that lady from...") unloaded a shotgun right in front of him. But as Gilroy, Gyllenhaal and Russo light switch the neon sleaze of a late night, 'Nightcrawler' for the Hollywood horrors as clear as a smoggy day in L.A. we have the perfect companion piece in what can be called the directors 'City Of Fallen Angels' period. One moment sees the general public the morning after walking around a dead body like it was just another no more shock and awe, desensitized exhibit with the cold blood licking at their feet. And these phones out days with so much to say in moments like that, this is kind of the size of how it really is. But killing all that buzz as soft as a saw, this velvet rises like a circular one up from the underground. And even when it crosses the line (and boy does it! Like our 'Friend' Joey said, "the line is a dot to you"), this art is fine. TIM DAVID HARVEY.
Further Filming: 'Nightcrawler', 'American Psycho', 'The Neon Demon'.
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