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"Smells Like A Van
Sant Film" |
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Directed by Gis Van Sant
- Written by Gus Van
Sant
Starring Michael Pitt,
Asia Argento, Harmony
Korine, Lukas Haas
Distributed by Fine Line -
2005 - 97mins - Rated R |
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Richard Propes'
Review
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B+ |
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I cried the day Kurt Cobain died. |
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Last Days" is the
third in a series of minimalist films by director Gus Van Sant in
which the random meanderings of man are explored, not in a search for
meaning, but more as a statement of journey.
The trilogy began with "Gerry," a journey of two friends where the end
seems almost inevitable yet is achieved without judgment or even
feeling. The second film, "Elephant," was, in many ways, more tragic
as it closely resembled the Columbine killings in the way it followed
a typical day in high school that would end in pointless but quite
deliberate murder by friends. The final film, "Last Days," quietly
brings to close the trilogy in a film inspired by the death of Nirvana
lead singer Kurt Cobain.
In all three films, the tragedies that unfold are achieved without
histrionics and without judgment. They are, seemingly, a mere part of
the journey between death and birth. Van Sant avoids all the more
marketable approaches to these sorts of films and merely allows the
characters to exist, following their paths, making their choices and
facing their inevitable destinies. It is tragic, and yet it never
truly feels tragic.
"Last Days" stars Michael Pitt as a Kurt Cobain look-alike to a
frightening degree. We are not given a chance to bond with Blake, his
character, nor are we given a chance to experience him as a success
through concert footage or groupies or anything resembling a positive
life experience. Instead, as the title of the film might suggest, we
are privvy to his "Last Days." The film opens with Blake wandering
aimlessly through the woods mumbling nonsensical rock lyrics not that
much unlike Nirvana's lyrics. Yet, much like Nirvana's lyrics if you
listen closely you will hear brilliant, poetic statements that scream
of this man's complete and overwhelming inner pain. To look closely at
Blake is challenging largely due to the moody and atmospheric
cinematography of Harris Savides, who also photographed both "Gerry"
and "Elephant." Savides uses long shots, often blurry and Van Sant
often uses Blake's hair as a sort of mask to keep anyone from ever
truly seeing him. Pitt captures beautifully the minimalist approach to
this character, and completely avoids histrionics to the point that
his inevitable demise is almost completely anti-climactic. Blake
wanders in and out of his castle type home, wanders the woods, swims,
visits the small cottage in the back of his home (which eerily
resembles the actual area in which Cobain actually died) and briefly
visits in town to wander through a rock show, speak briefly at a
friend and often repeats his behavior so identically that on two
occasions I wondered if the film had actually skipped.
Pitt's performance is a quiet performance, and it would be nearly
impossible to call it brilliant. Yet, it is surprisingly impact
despite the fact that Pitt essentially wanders and mumbles throughout
the entire film. His interaction with others is minimal at best, and
we are given literally no chance to bond with him or those around him.
He's clearly in the end stages of drug addiction, appears to be
wearing a hospital arm band and is nearly completely incoherent.
The supporting cast around him includes gangly Luke (Lukas Haas),
Scott (Scott Green), Asia (Asia Argento) and assorted individuals who
visit the home during the day including a quietly humorous visit from
twin Mormon missionaries, a private detective joined by a "friend" who
seems more like a sell out named Donovan, a record executive (Kim
Gordon of Sonic Youth fame)and even Harmony Korine shows up as a guy
in the club Blake visits while in town. The cast themselves play
characters who are oddly respectful of Blake, yet clearly just living
their own path completely detached from him. It would be easy to say
that they are clearly sponging off him, yet it never truly feels that
way. Everyone simply seems to be existing and there's never a point
where anyone's path feels judged until the very end when Luke, Scott
and Asia choose to leave town out of fear they will be implicated in
Blake's death. At one point, Blake sits over Scott and Asia while they
are sleeping with a gun over them...nothing tragic occurs. It just
happens.
Gus Van Sant is a brilliant director, however, "Last Days" never quite
achieves the level of quiet brilliance as its two minimalist
predecessors. While I can understand and respect the choice to follow
only Blake's last days, nonetheless, the absence of connection in the
film becomes tiresome and the repeated behaviors is slightly
confusing. Occasionally, the sound mix became distracting and on at
least two occasions I found myself wondering "What is that sound
anyway?" It distracted me and caused me to lose focus from the film.
Likewise, while the music involving Blake (including at least two
songs written & performed by Pitt himself) are masterful, the
accompanying score is, at times, irritating...especially the music
over the closing credits.
Perhaps the only point in the entire film where I felt like Van Sant
made a choice of "judgment" was in Blake's actual death. While I won't
go into the actual visualization, for me it played as if Blake were
becoming spirit AND going to heaven. It was a bold choice considering
the obvious harsh lifestyle, active drug addiction and many poor
choices Blake had made. Yet, truly, it felt right.
While I may not consider "Last Days" to be the best film of Gus Van
Sant from a purely critical standpoint, it is a film I greatly admire
and would wholeheartedly recommend to lovers of independent,
thought-provoking and bold cinema. Van Sant foregoes the easy choices
and even commercial choices and makes a film here that feels deeply
authentic.
I cried the day Kurt Cobain died. The tears didn't flow necessarily
because he was a great rock musician or because I was a huge Nirvana
fan, though I certainly loved their music. No, instead, I cried
because of what Cobain represented...a voice for the hurting, the lost
and the pissed off who had managed to find a way to express it and
turn it into something productive. When Cobain died, for a long time I
questioned survival...I questioned whether or not those of us who'd
had fucked up, abusive and tragic lives could really survive. Several
years later, all I can still think is what an absolutely stupid end to
such brilliant potential.
"Last Days" is not a perfect film...but, it is a film in which one's
flaws are irrelevant. Do we value life or do we completely disregard
it? It doesn't matter. It's just a journey. |
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© Written by Richard Propes -
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