Movie Review: Pollock

Story: If you like art, good acting and are interested in the highs and lows of the creative process this film biopic is for you. Everyone knows who Jackson Pollock (1912-1956) was. He was the artist who, even 45 years after his suicide, other artists have to defend, when casual observers opine, But, even a child could make a painting like that! He and his contemporary abstract expressionists of the 40's and 50' changed the face of modern art and critics and artists have been trying to explain it ever since. Groan! Don't get me started about my opinions on art. That's a whole other series of rantings and reviews. Meanwhile, back to the film - Ed Harris, as first time director, producer and star does an adequate job with a ho hum script that was adapted from a book called Jackson Pollock: An American Saga by Naifeh and Smith. Harris brings us the raw, often not pretty process of creativity and genius. The film focus' on the nine years before Pollock became the 20th century's first artist/celebrity accompanied by a big spread in Life magazine, newsreels and documentaries by filmmaker Hans Namuth. We get to see his drinking binges (he was not a happy drunk) his stormy moods and his multi layered marriage to fellow artist Lee Krasner. The film is as much about Krasner who was his wife, his Muse, his promoter, his business manager and clearly without her he would never have seen his day in the sun. There are no epiphanies about him, art, life or death. There are also way too many extraneous characters who are not developed. But this is a well made biopic about an extraordinary figure in the history of art. Be warned - if you don't like art this will probably be a yawner for you.

Beware of the following segue: Steve Martin (who happens to be Hollywood's premiere art collector) will be hosting this years Oscar ceremony.

Acting: Ed Harris is simply wonderful as the tortured Jackson Pollock. Many paint brush salutes to him for this terrific understated performance. Marcia Gay Harden as Lee Krasner is brilliant. She is smart, tough and stirring. Wonderful supporting roles by Amy Madigan (Harris' real life wife) as Peggy Guggenheim, Val Kilmer, looking exactly like a young deKooning, Bud Cort (oh, how we all loved Harold and Maude) as Howard Putzel, Jeffrey Tambor as Clement Greenberg the art critic who made and broke many artists of the day and John Heard as Tony Smith.

Pets: A wonderful black and white border collie named Chip, a crow, seemingly quite domesticated, a fox seen from afar and a raccoon.

Food: Lots of food eaten, prepared and thrown.

Visual Art: Needless to say......everywhere.

Soundtrack: Wonderful Billy Holiday, Krupa, etc. A wonderful Tom Waits tune at the end. Interesting that Tom Waits was also heard in the biopic of Basquiat.

Titles: A subtle black and white. Nice touch.

Theater Audience: This film is in release for a mere week at only one theater in all of Manhattan to allow it to be considered for the Academy nominations. It will be re-released in January nationwide. Therefore the newspaper ads said all members of the Academy voting community were invited free, plus a guest, also every artist in town was there (we paid) and the crowd who needs to see everything immediately was there (I guess I could be in that group as well). Anyway, the artists were the only ones laughing at the funny in jokes during the movie. It was very crowded and there was a big line for the next show as well.

Quirky Meter: 4

Oscar Worthy: Ed Harris and Marcia Gay Harden will probably get a nod.

Nit Picking: Too many unresolved characters making some of the film seem crowded and claustrophobic.

Big Screen or Rental: Rental would be fine. You could have an art biopic weekend and also rent Altman's Vincent and Theo and Schnabel's Basquiat.

Length: 2 hours

LOBO HOWLS: 6