Basquiat is a great little movie about ‘80s New York City artist Jean-Michel Basquiat who died young and left behind a body of work that inspired (for better or worse) thousands of ‘90s art school students and art dealers. The movie- the first directed by real life painter Julian Schnabel- takes an unflinching look at the absurdity, self-importance, and exploitive nature of the art world as well as the damage, emptiness, and addiction that so often accompany overnight fame.
Schnabel eschews the typical Hollywood rags to riches biopic formula and succeeds in creating something less linear and formal and more original, personal, and realistic. It really looks and feels like ‘80s New York City where people are just living their lives, waiting for something to happen- and the soundtrack is great. The supporting characters float in and out of the movie- just like in life- and we’re never quite sure if what we’re seeing is really happening or if it’s just Basquiat’s imagination.
Characters- including Basquiat- are neither good or bad- they are just people making choices- and like with any good tragedy we watch- helplessly- as Jean-Paul continues making poor choices which not only squander his potential as an artist but ultimately lead to his untimely demise. It is a career making performance for Jeffrey Wright and there are good performances all around including David Bowie as Andy Warhol. A must-see cautionary tale for all art school students. Grade: A
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