FACTOTUM

FACTOTUM

Calling all Bukowski fans, Matt Dillon fans, fans of great 'literary films,' and everyone else in between. Factotum is a work of art. Simple as that. A dirty, smoky bar, drunk in the afternoon kind of art to be sure, but art is art no matter how we arrive there. Before I saw it, I kept thinking it would be a Fear and Loathing kind of thing, taking us on a ride with a crazy author, to a place we secretly want to go, but maybe are a bit scared...? You know what I mean here? Well, Factotum is surprisingly (and happily) not a crazy ride through a personal hell like Fear and Loathing was - it's much more subtle than that. But it does bear semblance to Gilliam's film in the sense that Matt Dillon does justice to Bukowski, the same way Johnny Depp did to Thompson. We are also treated with long narratives, getting into his head as Dillon recites the master writer's work. But the big difference with the two films, as with the two writers I suppose, is that Factotum/Bukowski/Dillon takes on more of a slow pace, standing back a little and squinting at the world through an alcoholic blurr, whereas Fear and Loathing/Thompson/Depp was more of a roller coaster ride through every drug imaginable.

But don't let the booze put you off the film. The fact that Bukowski was drunk when he wrote his best stuff doesn't change the fact that it was good stuff. Just as we are all (hopefully) able to sit down on a nice Sunday afternoon and appreciate and enjoy Bukowski's writing without needing a drink to hear what he's saying, we can also enjoy Dillon's subtle and masterful portrayal of one of America's greatest and most profound writers ever. Factotum is not to be missed.

The Illusionist

Oh boy, I sure have been lazy about this blog. I'm sorry.

I really do need to write the following, even though I already mentioned this film. "The Illusionist" is being talked about right now, as it is hitting theaters, and I have to say if you hear something good about this film, you heard right!!

Edward Norton and Paul Giamatti (of recent "Sideways" fame) play opposites of sorts in a 19th century period piece, where Norton is a stage illusionist who just might have magical powers. It's amazing to me how Norton makes his role seem real - it seems he is performing for us the audience, as though we were the audience in the film. Giamatti is fantastic. In a recent interview, Norton said that working with Giamatti was easy, that he gave him a lot to play off of, and that this was how acting ought to be. That's the feeling you get watching this film, that these guys are the top of the field, and that we're lucky to be seeing this.

The rest of the film is excellent as well, with great imagery and sound, and a screenplay that will make me want to rent it and see it again when I can, so as to rewind some of the scenes to be able to study them. But to be sure, this is one of the films you'll want to see in theaters - seeing it big will push it over the edge and you'll see why I loved this film so much at SIFF this year.

We most likely will not be getting The Illusionist at the Grand, so you're on your own with this one. Sorry.