New to Netflix: Velvet Buzzsaw
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo, Zawe Ashton, John Malkovich, Toni Collette, Billy Magnussen, Daveed Diggs, Natalia Dyer
Director: Dan Gilroy
In the high-stakes and cutthroat art world, no one is more feared than critic Morf Vandewalt (Jake Gyllenhaal), whose reviews can literally make or break careers. While Morf saunters around the room at Art Basel in Miami, Rhodora (Rene Russo) loses an artist (John Malkovich) to Jon Dondon (Tom Sturridge) but makes a huge splash signing up-and-coming artist Damrish (Daveed Diggs). Upon returning to LA, Rhodora's assistant, Josephina (Zawe Ashton), discovers the dead body of her neighbor, and more importantly, discovers a large supply of art in their apartment. The dead man, Ventril Dease, is an unknown artist who demanded that all his paintings be destroyed upon his death. Josephina ignores this warning as she is immediately drawn to the paintings. Using them as a way to move up at work, she shows them to Rhodora and Morf, who are both equally enthralled. Morf retreats to research Dease while Rhodora and Josephina attempt to sell off as much of the art as possible. Soon, everyone involved with Dease's paintings starts to die and Morf begins to be haunted by the paintings, often seeing them move and come to life. Are the deaths of his colleagues linked to the paintings or is he simply going insane?
This is one of the more bizarre movies I've seen in a while and the early scenes crackle with satire. There is even a moment where one of the art dealers mistakes a pile of trash as art when he visits Malkovich's loft. The film also makes a comment about greed and everyone wanting to be a part of the "next big thing." All of the characters are immediately sucked into the spell the paintings cast, as even the guy who sets up the art exhibits is taken by the mysterious works. Once the horror elements settle in, Gilroy's knowledge of suspense comes to the forefront, leaving the viewer wondering when the kills will happen, which get more gruesome and strange as the film presses on.
Jake Gyllenhaal gives a committed performance as Morf Vandewalt (one of my favorite names in a movie ever), whose sexuality is as stable as his sanity. He should never stop working with Gilroy, who is able to bring the best out of the actor and continues to give him unique roles. The rest of the cast is great, although Malkovich and Diggs aren't given much to do, but I wanted to single out Zawe Ashton. I wasn't very familiar with her but she more than holds her own in a cast of heavyweight actors. I hope this breakout role is noticed.
To the film's credit, you never really know what's actually going on and it doesn't necessarily take the time to explain itself. While there are hints as to what is actually happening with the paintings, it's never actually explained. Like all art, it's up to interpretation. Either you're on board or you're not.
While I feel like the film is saying less than it thinks it is about the art world, it is nonetheless an entertaining and occasionally gruesome satire whose weirdness you either embrace or you don't. It's not on the level of Nightcrawler, but it's unique and I have to give Netflix the credit for embracing Gilroy's non-commercial vision.
B