Rating: 
Summary: An eye opening splash of darkening manic lowlights
Review: Having travelled the long journey to Greenport,Long Island to see my favourite all round performer-BOWIE in a role totally fitting to his own personality(Warhol),I was delighted and pleased to report afterwards of a truly invigorating experience-One I would have no hesitation in strongly reccomending to absolutely anyone,youngor old,art fans music fans(Excellent soundtrack available on c.d).All the cast put in believable and sometimes moving performances that left one thinking about the alternate free lifestyles some people strive for but may never have the oppurtunity or guts to do anything about.Drugs dont work.Aconfusion of manic creativity and desperate lost souls with a sprinkling of light hearted loyalty go to make what I feel is a very accesible yet thought provoking mastrerpiece-A classic cult film this will become Iam certain!
Rating: 
Summary: The Most Unique and Powerful Film of the Decade!
Review: Basquiat is one of those rare films that enlightens your mind, expands your imagination, touches your heart, and offers you a perspective on life that has never been contemplated. The film displays such a disturbingly realistic and vivid portrait of one of the most intriguing artists of the century. A milestone in contemporary film-making!
Rating:
Summary: Great
Review: I love this movie.The scene in which Basquiat is interviewed by Christopher Walken is one of the most powerful scenes EVER. David Bowie surprised me and did a great job as Andy Worhol. Art fans will probably love it. One criticism- it runs fairly close to Dickens' Great Expectations, but that's OK I guess
Rating:
Summary: On my list of top-ten all time....
Review: That one line shouldn't make you buy this movie, or even watch it. My top ten is very weird, ranging from "Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story" to "The Planet of the Apes" saga to "Tron" to "Austin Powers", etc. What should make you watch this movie is the phenomenal acting from all parties involved. Jeffrey Wright picked up on nuances of Basquiat's mannerisms and language, as did Bowie of Warhol. Oldman, Wincott, Hopper, Del Toro, and Forlani, all wonderful actors heighten this film to a level of biographical excellence. The director's vision was wonderful. If I had the money right now (poor college student) I would quickly buy this movie and it's companioin soundtrack. A high recommendation from me.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding portrayals demistify artistic drug culture
Review: A film that enmeshes viewers in the reality of the New York art scene and its drug-intense culture. The portrayals of the characters are starkly real and understated. This is truly a movie in which the art tells the story, unimpeded by overacting or overdirecting. The understated roles de-glamorize the use of drugs by portraying the impact upon users within the context of their creativity and lives. A disturbing but vital experience. Viewers will be moved and remember this film for a long time.
Rating: 
Summary: Slow, boring, and 'posed' -- big letdown, hated it!
Review: This movie moved painfully slow and failed to capture what was interesting about Basquiat and the New York art scene around Warhole and others -- and what a great topic. The rendition created in the movie was boring and annoying -- big dissappointment!
Rating:
Summary: Powerful....
Review: I was so impressed by Jeffery Wright's acting in this film as the late Jean Michel Basquiat, who is one of the best artists to have ever lived. He had the imagination and creativity that an artist must have to be successful, and this film shows it all. From his rise to fame, to his harsh downfall with life! This is a must see for anyone who loves art or has a destiny to become famous.
Rating:
Summary: Insightful
Review: The film takes an indepth look into one of the most interesting and controversial artists of the 1980's, Jean-Michel Basquiat. The film made by fellow artist Julian Schnabel, takes a look into Basquiat's rise into the art world, his horrible drug addiction, his close relationship with Andy Warhol, and his tragic death. Jeffery Wright provides a moving performence as Basquiat. Dennis Hopper who plays real life gallery owner Bruno Bischofberger, and Parker Posey who plays the role of Mary Boone show us all how minipulating the art world can be. In all this film is one of the greatest of its kind and I tip my hat to the creators.
Rating:
Summary: abysmal twaddle about egocentric junkies
Review: Good performances can't save this self-indulgent tale of yet another artist whose out of control ego is supposed to be interesting to the viewer. Even the scenes of his "creative process" are meaningless, and no better than watching a wall being defaced by spray paint; somehow we are made to assume Basquiat is an inventive genius, when what the screen shows us is a man who has no respect for anyone (for instance, there is a scene where he goes to a lovely home for dinner, and urinates in the hallway), no gratitude to those who help him become famous, and is more interested in self-promotion than art. It has a stellar cast of character actors, among them David Bowie, who shines as Andy Warhol (and is sporting one of Warhol's actual wigs), and Gary Oldman as "Albert Milo", which is an alias for artist and writer/director of this film, Julian Schnabel, and uses Schnabel's paintings, including one he made for Basquiat (the one he shows Jeffrey Wright/Basquiat saying he painted it for a friend who died).
The reproductions of Basquiat's work were also done by Schnabel. Will Basquiat's work be known 100 years from now ? I doubt it; though it is lauded now, I believe time will reveal it to be no more than glorified graffiti.
For superior films on other self-obsessed, but far better artists, see "Pollock" or "Surviving Picasso", for a humorless depiction of substance abusing bores, an aimless script, and jumpy editing, this is your film. Total running time 1 hour and 46 minutes.
Rating:
Summary: Rocking Van Gogh's Fantastic Boat Across Grafitti Oceans- -
Review: A few moons ago I was head-over heels, totally enamoured, positively smitten, and, yes, well, semi-*obsessed*, in the ilk of certain *artsy* somewhat self-destructive early twenty-somethings suffering from the underrated, understated,yet absolutely truthful, *quarter life crisis*, with this film. Although it's been a few years since I escaped adolescence, during the aforementioned *quarter life crisis* I acquired a sort of adolescent-like affinity for "Basquiat", and just about everything related to the film-- from the awesome soundtrack to the spectacular artwork-- yet especially for the mythos surrounding the remarkable, fascinating, and elusive painter himself. Not much is known about Basquiat, which must render any attempt at a filmatic portrayal of him much more difficult and tricky, than, say, a portrayal of Andy Warhol (about whom we know quite a bit, one crucial reason being that his approach to art and art culture was far more flamboyant and forward than his *graffiti pupil*, as I've heard him called). Julian Schnabel yields a double-edged filmatic sword with "Basquiat": on one hand, he portrays the spirit, inner turmoil, passion, vulnerability, intensity, and the dionysian excesses of the painter with incredibly astute, intuitive, and keen vision. On the other hand, "Basquiat" is an impressive piece of art in itself. It stands out as a great film, again, in itself; that is to say, if we examine it on its own, apart from the genre of *biography*, and embrace the adage of *ars gratia artis*, we'll recognize its astounding and unique attributes. Those who are unfamiliar with Basquiat or even those who dislike Basquiat as a person or as an artist, will likely appreciate many of the purely filmatic aspects of this film; for instance, its superb technical and cinematographic devices. Some film afficionados focus exclusively on these aspects of a film; *Felini buffs*, for example :). However, if you, like myself, enjoy a excellently well-crafted biopic, then "Basquiat" more than qualifies. Schnabel effectively and convincingly carries the viewer through Jean Michel's series of maelstrom-like transitions, from his modest-cardboard-box-in the-park-as-home beginnings to the shock of his almost instant fame, to his awkward semi-immersion into the art world, and, ultimately, to his self-inflicted demise. Perhaps for some Basquiat is not the most endearing or easily identifiable character; however, even if a viewer cannot empathize with him, s/he will likely at least admire the delicate, incisive, and sensitive manner in which the director portrays the subject of his film. I find Basquiat, as Schnabel represents him, to be a remarkable, enigmatic, and fascinating individual. Without resorting to the tired old cliches of the tortured, isolated, misunderstood artist, aimlessly adrift on Van Gogh's boat (a paraphrase, which I hope I haven't butchered too badly, from the beginning of the film), Basquiat was a phenomenal artist, and seems to have been an intriguing person. If this is the case, then Jeffrey Wright portrays him brilliantly; he has a really special keenness of perception regarding the character he is playing. The people in Basquiat's life are also portrayed exceptionally well (of course, it doesn't hurt that the cast is comprised of exceptional actors). Some of the most memorable interactions in the film involve Jean Michel's introduction to Andy Warhol (David Bowie would have charmed Warhol's flouncy pants off with his portrayal of him; he's sensational as the pop-star-pop-artist), the initial mentor/pupil relationship, and their eventual friendship. There are many outstanding scenes involving Basquiat's frenzied, tumultuous relationship with his present-estranged-present-estranged girlfriend (Claire Forlani is excellent in this role; she has a particular manner of suffering and sorrowing on screen which radiates a vulnerable, fragile, and innocent sort of beauty). There are also quite a few memorable interactions between "Benny" (Jean Michel's drugged-out, slouchy, misguided, yet absolutely loyal friend, wonderfully portrayed by Benicio del Toro) and Basquiat. The final scene in the film, when "Benny" rescues a moribund Jean Michel from the gutter to which it seems he has ventured to die in semi-conscious despair, after learning of Warhol's death, is one of the most powerful I've ever seen on screen. I'm sure I've rambled on enough about this film. . . I guess I feel as strongly about it now as I did during that *quarter-life crisis* a few moons ago, during which I sometimes even *evaluated* potential suitors by their reactions to the film. . . (!). There are a few rare films which leave such an intensely personal and indelible impression on a person's pscyhe, that (s)he may begin to feel like they belong in the film, as an honorary character, or at least as an extra. "Basquiat" is definitely one of these films, at least for yours truly. I wish I were some sort of digital mutant, so that I could give it, oh, twelve most enthusiastic thumbs up :).
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