Pollock

Rating:
Summary: Transcends the Cliches of the Biopic
Review: Ed Harris deserved the Best Actor trophy for Pollock over the heavily hyped Russell Crowe, who should have won last year for The Insider. And I even thought there might be a chance he'd win when the sublime Marcia Gay Harden beat the equally deserving (but younger, with a brighter future) Kate Hudson.

This film, based on the life and death of Jackson Pollock, is an acting paradise. Harris and Harden are both given ample scenery to chew, and Harris ups the ante by giving us a performance that not only shows the desperation and suffering in Pollock's life, but the peace he felt when he painted. And those painting scenes are so full of energy that it's easy to believe that Jackson Pollock is up there on the screen, painting yet another masterpiece.

If you're a fan of Pollock himself, there will be much for you to enjoy here, and even if you're not, you'll have the chance to see two of the best performances of the year.

Rating:
Summary: An interesting look at a complex man
Review: Jackson Pollock was a complex man. He was the youngest of five boys, born to a domineering mother who was never happy and a father who tried to provide for them. As an adult, his paintings would take him from obscurity to fame, although it did not happen right away. Yet, before he found fame and after, he seemed hell bent on his own destruction. This film took Ed Harris 15 years to get to the screen. He called it a labor of love and it is worth a look. The relationship with his mother is never clearly known, but the few scenes she is in, there is tension. His relationship with his wife is a roller coaster. After they married and movied out to Long Island, there was a period of about two years that he sobered up and was prolific in his work. But as he found fame, the pressure became too much. He started reading his press clippings and things with his wife and his family went down hill from there. He was a womanizer both before and during his marriage and an alcoholic. Lee Krasner, his wife refused to have children with him because he was hard enough to take care of. The film is the study of a human being sttruggling to find his own identity, and at the same time so consumed with his demons that he is impossible to live with or deal with. When many would have given up, Lee Krasner stuck with him and loved him. You can see where the film is going and how it is going to end, but don't let that discourage you from this interesting film, filled with great actors. You can tell by the detail that is put in the film, that Harris truly loved every minute of doing it.

Rating:
Summary: Harris Proves He's One of the Best
Review: How could the Academy give Crowe best actor for controlling computerized crowds? Ed Harris, one of the best American actors there are, gives an intense emotional and physical portrayal of the tortured American artist that changed painting forever. Harris' control is not over a computer image, but over real emotion and physicality; Crowe (for the done-before-'Gladiator') simply didn't deserve the Oscar. Harden gives a solid performance as Krasner, complimenting Harris perfectly. For some, the direction of this film may be a bit lethargic. Harris chooses to focus on smaller events of Pollock's life to tell the artist's story, so the camera is rarely in motion outside of the exciting painting sequences. Along with an impressive and rousing soundtrack, 'Pollock' is both one of 2001's little known and best films.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent cast, but "Pollock" comes up short
Review: While it's true that Jackson Pollock, one of the 20th century's most acclaimed abstract artists, may have had his share of demons, "Pollock" hardly bothers to explain any of them. Bouts of depression and alcoholism come and go, and while it's obvious that Pollock is a troubled man, and always has been, we're left on our own to wonder why. Set in the early 1940s to the early 1950s, we see Pollock's rise to the top and fall back down again.

From his early works that caused a stir, to his later pieces that broke the abstract art world wide open, we see a man who is never satisfied with life and his fame. Obsessed with success, the pivotal scene of the movie is a family gathering where Pollock seems more interested in reading his latest review and showing off, than spending time with his family.

In his last few years, as alcohol gets the best of him, we're left with a shell of a man, who shares nothing with his audience but a pensive gaze - it seems that most of the movie is filled with Ed Harris shooting us a pensive gaze. Where in fiction films we would have seen memories, flashbacks, or fantasies, in "Pollock" we are treated to none of those. Constantly wondering what he could have been thinking, or why he was so disturbed is not a interesting plot-line.

Most of the film seems to be based on the first part of his life, which we are not shown - a haunting childhood is only briefly mentioned in passing.

However, the acting was superb, and it appears that every possible attention to detail was followed. The music and the settings were all very well done and helped to bring the audience back into the 1940s. The film could have used one more round in the editing room though. In more than one scene we have the feel of being behind a camera, rather than being a seamless part of the movie.

Ed Harris, indubitably in the best performance of his career thus far, does a remarkable job with a difficult character. Marcia Gay Harden, who portrays Lee Krasner, Pollock's wife, has enough screen time to have given her the Oscar for lead actress, not just supporting - her performance was certainly worthy.

Val Kilmer has a cameo role as Willem de Kooning, but he's only on the screen for a moment or two. Jennifer Connelly plays Pollock's mistress in a nearly unbelievable role, as by now Pollock has deteriorated into a totally different man who has been beaten by alcoholism.

Overall, the movie had good acting, a good story, but too many questions and too many scenes of a man thinking without sharing the reasons behind his thoughts. The painting scenes were inspiring, but it doesn't make up for the rest.

If you have an interest in Jackson Pollock, or have read "Jackson Pollock: An American Saga" then perhaps you will be able to fill in the gaps the film is missing.

Rating:
Summary: new favorite movie, definitely
Review: It so strongly shows in the movie how much Ed Harris cared about making it the best it could be -- it's the best it could be. The directing is ingenious, full of allegory, symbolism, & guided by a clear artistic eye. The acting, too, is amazing -- flawless & impassioned. The plot moves seamlessly, offering a very interesting examination of the scope of the lives of Jackson Pollock & Lee Krasner, as well as documenting other art movements, theories, & criticism of the time. Ed Harris also portrays very well Jackson Pollock's process while painting, showing all stages in JP'sevolution as an artist. All in all, gripping, tragic...Jackson Pollock's intruiging, unstable personality & life make it hard to blink from the opening scene until several minutes after the utterly climactic final scene & the credits over the perfect voice to end the movie with -- Tom Waits.

Rating:
Summary: Best When Focused on the Canvas
Review: Ever since Kirk Douglas chewed the scenery in "Lust For Life", films depicting great artists have failed to believably reconcile the artistic process with the personal life that supposedly informs the process. Even the much-lauded "Basquiat" is memorable more for the cool soundtrack and Julian Schnabel's depiction of the '80s New York art scene than for any real insights into that artist's creative vision.

Thankfully, director/actor Ed Harris approaches "Pollock" from the opposite direction. In this biopic of America's first great modern artist, Harris offers an almost intimate view of Jackson Pollock hovering over his canvas and striving to break free of traditions until he finally stumbles over a truly original form -- action painting.

Unfortunately, "Pollock" eventually has to follow the artist back home so he can face his demons -- namely drinking and depression. Once there, there are long moments of silent anguish punctuated by bottle throwing, turning over tables, inconsolable screaming and the isolating of loved ones. It's pretty melodramatic stuff saved from silliness by Marcia Gay Harden, who plays Pollock's wife and artistic acolyte Lee Krasner. The rest of the supporting cast is also game -- save for a dentured Val Kilmer as a forgettable Willem de Kooning -- but screenwriters Barbara Turner and Susan Emshwiller share Harris' seeming indifference toward Pollock's self-destruction. They'd rather get back to the workshop and see what he paints next.

Maybe that indifference is intentional, because it makes for an appropriately harrowing final act. But it still doesn't fully explain why such a superb talent could find so little satisfaction in his life or work. Oh well; as it is almost 50 years after Pollock's death all we really have are the paintings. And that's probably enough.

Rating:
Summary: The tortured soul of a great artist
Review: American painter Jackson Pollock (1912-56) was a revolutionary figure in 20th century art. The film "Pollock" tells the story of his successes, setbacks, and inner torment. Directed by Ed Harris, who also plays the title role, this is very effective portrait of the man and the artist.

Excellent performances are also turned in by the supporting cast. Marcia Gay Harden is amazing as Lee Krasner, Pollock's wife and fellow painter; Harden is intelligent, sexy, passionate, and driven in this difficult role. Another standout performance comes from Amy Madigan, as art patron Peggy Guggenheim; Madigan creates an intriguingly creepy portrait of a powerful woman.

But this is Harris' film, and he is triumphant in the title role. His Pollock is the quintessential "tortured artist." But Harris rises above this cultural stereotype to create a complex, unsettling portrait of Pollock. Particularly magical are the scenes where Harris/Pollock is painting; these scenes are superbly complemented by Jeff Beal's musical score. And Harris is truly frightening when Pollock's inner rage finally spills out.

Ultimately, I see Ed Harris' "Pollock" as an important meditation on the role of a visionary artist in a society that is obsessed with consumption and profit. If you are interested in modern art or in good filmmaking, check out "Pollock."

Rating:
Summary: Stunning Work By Harris
Review: The romantic notion of suffering for one's art has been cinematically rendered in countless films, depicting the lives of real life artists ranging from Van Gogh to Camille Claudel to Beethoven to Jim Morrison to Rimbaud; but rarely has a film penetrated as deeply as "Pollock," directed by and starring Ed Harris as the abstract painter Jackson Pollock. The story begins in 1941 and chronicles Pollock's life until the early '50s. It's a vivid, and at times grim portrait of a true artist struggling for recognition, as well as with the inner demons that plague his soul and are reflected in his art and the way he lives his life. It is said that the artist "sees" the world differently than the average person, which may be true; and it is that unique "vision" that sets the artist apart. And Pollock was no exception to the rule.

As romantic as it may sound, the reality of suffering for one's art is just that: Suffering. For realizing that vision and bringing it to fruition is more often than not an arduous and tortuous path to tread. Coalescing the fragments of that vision and transferring that information into reality can be a painful process, and one of the strengths of this film is that it so succinctly conveys that sense of desperation and frustration that are seemingly an intrinsic part of "creating." There's a scene in which Pollock, after having been commissioned to do a mural, sits on the floor of his studio with his back against the wall staring for days on end at the blank canvas stretched across the room, waiting for that spark of inspiration, that sudden moment when what he must do will crystallize in his mind's eye. It's a powerful, intense scene that allows you to share that creative process with the artist and experience the emotional turmoil of it, as well as the exhilaration of the moment when it all suddenly becomes clear, when the vision is realized. It's a stunning moment; Pollock's face fills the screen and you actually see it in his eyes, the exact moment of discovery. And it's absolute magic.

As Pollock, Ed Harris gives arguably the best performance of his career; he perfectly captures every emotional level of this complex individual, from the manic highs and lows (exacerbated by alcohol consumption) to the neutral moments in between. He totally immerses himself in the character, and what surfaces is a thorough and memorable picture of a tortured genius and flawed human being. It's an astounding piece of work, for which he most certainly should have taken home the Oscar for Best Actor.

Marcia Gay Harden received the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Lee Krasner, the woman who loved Pollock and devoted herself (even at the expense of her own career as an artist) to the man and his art. It's a terrific performance, through which Harden brings Lee to life, physically and emotionally. Her amount of screen time seemingly should have qualified her for a Best Actress nomination, but regardless, her work here is unquestionably deserving of the Oscar.

The supporting cast includes Amy Madigan (Peggy Guggenheim), Jennifer Connelly (Ruth), Jeffrey Tambor (Clement), Bud Cort (Howard), John Heard (Tony), Sada Thompson (Stella Pollock) and Val Kilmer (Willem de Kooning). Harris' triumph with "Pollock" does not begin and end with his extraordinary performance, however; though his acting is so exceptional it would be easy to overlook the brilliant job of directing he did with this film. And it is brilliant. The way this film is presented is the work of not only a seasoned professional, but of a professional artist with a unique vision of his own. One of the best films of the year (2000), hopefully it will in the future receive the acclaim of which it is so richly deserving. Hopefully, as well, Harris will direct again; for it is talent like his, and films like this one, that expand the Cinematic Universe as we know it.

Rating:
Summary: the man who painted energy
Review: Based on "Jackson Pollock: An American Saga" by Steven Naifeh and Gregory White Smith, this film is a portrait of a destructive, self indulgent man who though brilliant, was nonetheless a double-distilled jerk. Was it self-interest that motivated the ambitious Lee Krasner to stay with him ? Perhaps the need to nurture, and be a part of a talent greater than hers ? Who can tell what drives such complex relationships, and had she not been at his side, it is doubtful that he would have achieved his current place in art history; perhaps it was a fated, infernal partnership, all for art's sake.

Ed Harris as director and actor brought this story to life with believability and his chemistry with Marcia Gay Harden is superb; he received Oscar nomination for Best Actor, and she won for Best Supporting Actress, and both deservedly so. There is a fight scene towards the end of the film that is so real it sounds as if it is actually happening. I find myself lowering the volume, so my neighbors don't call the police.
Also excellent is Sada Thompson as Pollock's mother, and Amy Madigan (Mrs. Ed Harris in real life) as Peggy Guggenheim.

The cinematography, set, and costume design all capture the look of mid 20th century America, and the soundtrack by Jeff Beal is lovely; I particularly like the sprightly theme that seems sometimes to connect one scene to another.
I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the depiction of the creative process, like when he discovered his drip technique, and also loved the representation of the 1950 exhibit at the Betty Parsons Gallery, with the final camera shot zooming into the paint itself.
Though he struggled long and hard for fame, once it was his, he said "I feel like a clam without a shell". Lee survived him by by 28 years, and hopefully, found some peace and joy in life, along with the wonderful work she was to do once on her own.
This is not something to view on a date night, or for fun, but it is a fascinating film, especially for someone in the arts.

Rating:
Summary: THE DARK SIDE OF ART AND SUCESS
Review: A gripping biopic that explores events in a real-life artist's life, played intensely to perfection by Harris, who from the director's chair also managed to secure a similarly assured, pointed turn from the other lead: Marcia Harden as a woman who sacrifices herself completely in the service of what she perceives as genius.

Pollock's meteoric rise to glory meant that he succumbed soon to common celebrity ills -- booze, promiscuity, temper -- and this is the area that the film seems to cast a dramatic wide-angle lens on.

Personally, I felt that the film did not really wow me with its somewhat conventional and occasionally even shallow drama potraying a painter's angst, skimping in turn on the insights into what really made him tick. Achieving a delicate balance between these two facets of the artist's life was what made Kirk Douglas' "Lust for Life" or the more recent "Frida" such true classics.

A decent rental for the superlative performances of both the lead characters and its evenhandedness in dealing with a sensitive subject (Harris takes no sides, we never really stop despising Pollock because of his abrasive nature) but don't expect anything you'd call a marvel of film making.