Basquiat

This is the kind of movie that is always going to garner polarized reviews. I am sure the movie takes liberties with the biographical facts to some degree as all such movies do. David Bowie as Andy Warhol can either be described as an inspired choice or a cardboard cutout stereotype of one of the most complex personalities of the 20th Century. The fact that Julian Schnabel not only wrote and directed the film but also placed a fictionalized version of himself in it, the character Albert Milo played by Gary Oldman, which is certainly portrayed in an idealized form, presents another opportunity for criticism. Speaking of Oldman though, this is definitely a star-studded cast with David Bowie, Benicio del Toro, Dennis Hopper, Courtney Love, Christopher Walken, and Willem Dafoe among others, along with Oldman. Whatever you think of Schnabel, he can clearly get big names to work for him.The film also suffers from the fact that the Basquiat family did not give permission for actual reproductions of Basquiat's art to be used, so all the "Basquiat" paintings you see are not Basquiat paintings.In terms of the title character, Jean-Michel Basquiat played by Jeffrey Wright, it is open to all sorts of criticisms that it is more like a shrine to the cult of the tortured artist than a lifelike portrayal. Insufficient background into why Basquiat overindulged in drugs is given: he's the tortured artist, the latter-day Van Gogh, so of course he does too many drugs. The relationship parts of the movie bog down a little for me, and I didn't need extra reminders of how much artists can be spoiled selfish destructive brats sometimes. Plenty of people of all kinds are like that, I know it, and don't need my time wasted on reminders.But whatever the criticisms and however valid they may be from a certain point of view - TO HECK WITH IT, it has David Bowie as Warhol LOL. Watch it just for that.Also the parts that show Basquiat's interactions with the art world are interesting to me as an artist, and Schnabel clearly knows about that world since he is also a painter as well as a filmmaker (the "broken pottery" pieces shown in the film are his own particular somewhat vapid style.) Overall I find it a somewhat aspirational film about someone who is determined enough and talented enough to climb up from obscurity to artistic stardom, but underestimates the demons in his own soul. I recommend it.

As everthing i've ever read about Jean Michel has told me, he wasn't quite this personable but i suppose since this was done by a dear friend of JMB's then it is only fitting that Jeffrey Wright's portrayal be a bit more "In the Sunshine". I have been intriqued by JMB since that first time i seen this movie. This wasn't even tradgic because JMB never really changed his habits in this movie. All great artists seem to be here today gone tommorow...This movie seemed to give a real good look at the ever different world of an artist...espcially one connected to the who's who of this times art world. David Bowie is entertaining as Andy Warhol...Benicio Del Toro is just good in every movie he's in and A brief appearance by Christopher Walken seemed to add bit of humor to this tale of a young artist who had the world at his feet but was too stoned and paranoid to care about it. I love his art but one has to admitt that all the great one's are more then "different"...they walk in different sunight then we do. For instance...(in the movie) money meant nothing to JMB, drugs were like coffee to him and he was alarmingly carefree about most things. In this portrayal of Jean Michel Basquiat, Jeffrey Wright really seemed to hurt in the scenes regarding JMB's relationships, both romantic(Claire Forlani is very convincing as JMB's steady for most of the movie) aswell as with his friends. JMB didn't trust a lot around him. The one message that came clear to me was that Jean Michel longed to be excepted as an"ARTIST"...not a "BLACK ARTIST"...he didn't see color and it angered him and hurt him at the same time at the fact that the world saw him as a black man/artist. He was called the "Eddie Murphy" of the art world and had an alias of "SAMO"(He graffitied this name ...short for "samo s - - t")...to me he was a brilliant artist who invited me into the world of art and showed me some of the tradgic ways that talent can be thrown around...wow, to be gifted like that...This is an insightful look into the life of Jean Michel Basquiat...American Artist

I had to go back and look at what I ordered, which was definitely a fully English DVD and case. Was thrown a bit by the fact that the case is fully in French! The movie is not. it is in English, as expected. With no French dub or sub, which is hilarious.Regardless. One of my favorite movies of all times. Sadly not streaming anywhere, so I own it now! whheee!!!

Didn't care for it much on my first watch. but the more I watch it it has become one of my favorite films. its a look into the life of an American artist who came from nothing and ended the same way but left a huge mark. its an inspiring story for any artist and its not boring either. I ended up purchasing this film and I watch it often. very new York, very 80s with a star studded cast.