Movie Review: Paranoid Park
by Greg Call
As we left the theater, my wife said to me that Paranoid Park is a film about the moments that other films pass over. As usual, she’s on to something.
Directed by Gus Van Sant, and starring no one you’ve ever heard of (apparently much of the casting was done on myspace), Paranoid Park is a keenly observant film about Alex, a high-school age skate punk in Portland who gets caught up in a homicide and its aftermath. It’s not a whodunit (though there is some suspense), or a procedural, or a thriller, or of any other standard genre. There is no apparent climax, nor any conventionally-satisfying resolution. Instead, Van Sant provides fierce realism, iconic shots (Wong Kar Wai’s cinematographer was involved), and, more importantly, a mood, a feeling. The music is perfect – as in Good Will Hunting, Van Sant uses a couple of Elliott Smith tunes, but here the choice is much more appropriate to the material. Like a lot of recent films, Van Sant plays with the sequencing, repeating certain snippets and jumping around chronologically. But unlike some other films (e.g. 21 Grams) there is a genuine narrative reason here for doing so. Also effective is the cast. The movie is carried capably by the lead (Gabe Nevins), but the minor characters contribute much – the detective, Alex’s well-meaning but distant father, the spot-on physics teacher, and a bunch of teenagers who actually seem like real teenagers.
But back to those moments my wife mentioned. Alex in the shower, Alex on a park bench writing, Alex gazing at the other boys skating at the park, Alex driving around. As boring as those descriptions sound, these scenes are the beating heart of this film, and are what makes it one that will stick with me for a while.
Posted on May 5, 2008, in Film & TV, Movies, Reviews and tagged By Greg Call. Bookmark the permalink. 9 Comments.
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Sounds interesting. Is it something a large majority will like, or most people will hate? And what’s it rated?
I don’t know how well-liked it would be — probably less well-liked than Good Will Hunting, but more well-liked than Gerry. Compared to Gerry, this movie is a thrill a minute. But there’s no Robin Williams/Minnie Driver and no “How bout THEM apples!!” Depends on the viewer’s taste. I am virtually certain that YOU will like it, though, Susan. Probably your kids too (they like Low and photography, right?).
I just looked it up and it is rated R. Mostly for one grisly scene, I would guess.
I asked because I tend not to like movies most people love, and tend to love the ones most people think are stupid. (Not a big fan of Good Will Hunting.) I love that they didn’t use recognizable actors, that’s a big plus for me.
Sounds a lot like one of my favorite movies: Brick. Is it a noir like that?
Skating, good music, Pacific Northwest, beautifully shot, nothing formulaic: I’m willing to bet that you’ll like it, Susan.
MCQ:
Haven’t seen Brick, but google serves up one review that described Paranoid Park as “a cross between Memento, Brick and The Outsiders.” That sounds stupid, but I guess someone thought it was in the same world. (In my view, this movie resembles The Outsiders or Memento only in superficial ways.)
(which is to say, not at all.)
The cinematography by Christopher Doyle and Rain Kathy Li is just amazing. Watch it to believe it.
You lost me at “Directed by Gus Van Sant.”