Paranoid Park -A DVD Review-

This is the latest release from Gus Van Sant, one of my favourite filmmakers. He wrote, directed and released it in 2007, based on the novel by Blake Nelson.

Paranoid Park follows the director's much lauded genius series "Death Trilogy", (Gerry, Elephant, and Last Days) the minimalist, almost Dogme-style trio of films which have cemented his style as a spare, emotional filmmaker with a penchant for stories told in a non-linear style.

Here's the shit:

Paranoid Park is about a young skateboarder who is involved in someones death and the guilt he tries to deal with as a result.

Once again Van Sant seems to employ as actors young people who come from the film's locales; inexperienced actors who bring a sense of realism to the story. At times this feels obvious, but not distractingly so. In fact it becomes almost charming watching these children interpret the lines written by people much older than themselves and attempt to imbue them with some meaning because, after all, they're supposed to know of what they read for the cameras.

Gabe Nevins is Alex in his first role as the young skater in trouble. He's very effective as a child in a very grown-up (not so much anymore though, murder, is it?) situation. He is innocence personified and a quintissential teenager, at least as far as I can tell as I dodge their skateboards!

Another notable first is Jake Miller as Alex's best friend Jared. This kid has PRESENCE! He's in the film very little but his charisma is utilized to the extreme by Van Sant and you WILL hear about this kid again. Mark my words.

Now I'm no dumb-ass. You may not revere Gus Van Sant as I do. Let me help you out; probably his biggest main-stream movie was Good Will Hunting (allegedley written by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck of 'What-Have-You-Done-For-Me-Lately fame), but he also directed To Die For with Nicole Kidman, and My Own Private Idaho with Keanu Reeves and the late, great River Phoenix.

Make no mistake Gus Van Sant has had a career and will continue to do so, and it feels like he's hit his artistic stride; stories told in a non-traditional fashion, focusing on the emotional aspects, incorporating eclectic musical scores, and sticking to the fucken basics. It'll be interesting to see how he incorporates his vision into the upcoming Harvey Milk biography starring Sean Penn. It should be released in the fall of '08, and will be his first commercial film since 2000's Finding Forrester.

And in case you didn't know the film is about pioneering gay-rights activist Harvey Milk. Look him up. I'm really looking forward to this film!

But back to Paranoid Park! I know I spent alot of time talking about the director instead of the film, but this is a beautiful, sensitive film about being a kid. Forget the death. Paranoid Park made me see the world through my 15 year old eyes and I missed it. The difficult, confusing emotions, the... god, just how fucking hard it was to say what you wanted to say. I loved this film. I hope you will too. Rent it; it's at your stupid Blockbusters or Rogers store now.