Event

Paranoid Park

NEW YORK PREMIERE AT NEW YORK FILM FESTIVAL 2007 (Limited) While Gus Van Sants PARANOID PARK is in keeping with the atmospheric work of the films in his previous "death trilogy" (GERRY, ELEPHANT, LAST DAYS), this time around hes working from a more conventional narrative to capture the awkwardness and pressures of adolescence. The result is a work of breathtakingly personal cinema--intimate, beautiful, and moving. Based on the novel by Blake Nelson, PARANOID PARK tells the troubled story of Alex (Gabe Nevins), a Portland high school student who loves to skateboard. But after accidentally causing the death of a security guard, Alex must come to terms with the guilty feelings that are threatening to overwhelm him. Unable to tell anyone what has happened, including his best friend, Jared (Jake Miller) and his nagging girlfriend, Jennifer (Tayler Momsen), he keeps it all inside at the risk of imploding with guilt. Van Sant is an impressionistic and deeply sensitive director. His decision to work with acclaimed cinematographer Christopher Doyle (FALLEN ANGELS, IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE) pays off immeasurably, as Doyle combines naturalistic full-frame 35mm with grainy super-8 to create a lush, moody atmosphere. As usual, Van Sants sonic tastes are impeccable. He once again employs the music of Elliott Smith to great effect, contrasting Smiths heartbreaking songs with slow-motion imagery, further establishing a sense of confusion and loss. The cast, all recruited from the social networking website MySpace, are more than serviceable, yet it is Nevins who steals the show. His Alex is a likeable figure to whom the audience can relate, further personalizing an already intimate tale. PARANOID PARK is a gorgeous, unforgettable tone poem that captures the myriad complexities of teenage life