Combining more filmic elements than I've ever before encountered in a movie, Howl interweaves a courtroom sequence, an interview sequence, a poetry reading, flashbacks, and artistic depictions of the poem 'Howl.' Centering on Allen Ginsberg and his controversial poem, the film could be considered a discussion of art, rather than a biopic of the artist's life. The acting - predominantly James Franco, was superb in his depiction of Ginsberg, combining the fluency, the thoughtfulness, and brilliance of the poet in a rugged, timely, and accurate representation. Though each strand of the story was presented almost perfectly in its cinematic value, all combined it felt like a hodge-podge, mismatched film. It was fairly distracting, although original, and after my favorite weave came to an end 2/3 through the film, I lost most of what little interest I had in the beginning. Howl might capture the feeling of the time, and probably would mean more to those alive during the 1950s - especially those that participated in beat culture, but to us today, the relevance was lost. This was one of the more unique films I've seen at Sundance, but it unfortunately didn't interest me. I guess a discussion might interest you more than me, and if it does, check it out.
In attendance: Co-directors Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman, and actor Todd Rotondi
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1/26/2010
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