Movie Review

Gus Van Sant's Last Days

Last Days is a film inspired by the last three days of rock singer Kurt Cobain?s life. It?s also a film by Gus Van Sant, who has turned controversial as of late with Elephant (B-) and Gerry (B-/B). Both films are like-it-or-hate-it affairs and are more of a film experiment than an actual ?film.? Last Days falls into that category, as art enthusiasts might marvel over the photography and tracking shots, while others will be lulled into a deep sleep before the movie even gets beyond its opening scene. This film sure tried my patience and I did question the point of it all, but I didn?t hate it.

I sure did wish it had taken a different approach, as the feature doesn?t directly say anything about a rock star?s life (or anything in particular), and a commentary on Cobain?s life is something I would like to see. Instead, this is a hardcore art experiment that features minimal dialogue and a lot of extremely slow, lingering scenes. Some people will brand this experiment as brilliant or visionary and others a complete waste of time, but I simply found it mediocre.

The opening sets the tone ideally. Blake, a sleazy looking twentysomething played by Michael Pitt, is wandering through a forest that surrounds his cabin as he mumbles to himself incomprehensibly. We then see a campfire he built later that night as he just stares blankly up towards the trees. This opening bit lasts for several minutes, and the rest of the feature consists of Blake stumbling around his cabin and mumbling to himself while a group of people (presumably members of his band) do their best to leave him alone.

For an average moviegoer I cannot think of a single reason to see this feature (you should stay far, far away). And while some people would quickly classify that as reason enough for an F review, there were things I respected and admired about it. I thought its artsy showmanship was way over the top, but the mere idea of some of these shots are intriguing.

Gus Van Sant is obviously one for visual flare on a very artsy, pretentious front, and I appreciate that the film has something to boast and isn?t just about a bunch of people who have no character development whatsoever. If this film were simply that, my rating would definitely be lower (but keep in mind, I?ve never given a movie an F). I found myself comparing Last Days to Todd Solondz? weird and controversial film, Palindromes (C), as both of these features don?t have much to say about the topics they try to cover. Palindromes wasn?t as interesting visually but accomplished more in structure as a twisted story. But that film infuriated me due to its lack of focus and Solondz? insistence on offending with unnecessary controversial/disgusting details.

Last Days is only controversial in that not much happens, but it?s not a disgusting experience. In that regard, I tolerated it a slight bit more despite my frustration over its nothing story. I doubt many people will see this feature, but the people who do give it a try may not last too long. Gerry was infamous at the film festivals for leading many to walk out due to extreme boredom (it was about two guys who get lost in the desert while on a hike), and while Elephant doesn?t test patience to such an extreme extent, it is still hard to sell material.

Last Days is perhaps Van Sant?s most daring effort to date; if it were his debut piece I?m not sure the man would be given a budget ever again. This is the filmmaker who was up for Best Director for Good Will Hunting, and he also did Finding Forrester and To Die For, which are the only films (if you ask me) in which he actually told an elaborate ?story,? with help from other writers. The success of those films (more so the first two) is probably the reason why he is still working today, but if he consistently chooses to work without a gifted writer or two helping him with structure, or perhaps a ?plot,? Van Sant may never make a ?film? ever again. He should be happy that this title isn?t an autobiography about his career, which fresh filmgoers might presume after seeing it.

Lee's Grade: C+

A	0.4%
B	30.0%
C	61.7%
D	8.0%
F	0.0%