*This movie review is written by someone who has no business reviewing movies, and also has opinions on art that are expressed without real art knowledge
So now that Exit Through the Gift Shop is available on Netflix, everyone here in the office has seen it and are talking about it, and for good reason it’s an amazing movie.
A quick synopsis. This crazy French guy follows around famous street artists Shepard Fairy, Invader and Banksy, taking 1000’s of hours of footage under the guise that he’s going to be making a documentary, he however doesn’t have the slightest idea how to make a movie. Eventually after tons of filming Banksy gives him sort of a, “what the hell man, let’s see this movie”, so Brainwash goes to work on the documentary. Once Banksy sees the steaming pile of crap Thierry Guetta (Mr Brainwash) has put together, he tells him, ok, you go make some art or whatever is you plan on doing, and I’ll try to fix this movie. So…Brainwash uses all the techniques, and by use, I mean steals, that he’s filmed Fairy and Banksy doing over the past 10 years and after slapping together a design firm is off to the races, just pumping out piles of crap rip-off street art.
A couple quotes from Banksy and Fairy, a SUPER heavy marketing campaign and hype, and he banks a cool million off of his show. AMAZING.
This film is put out by Banksy to make Mr Brainwash look stupid, which it does. It’s funny because he knows that Brainwash is a shit artist to say the least, but he depends on the hype machine just as much. He knows full well that the difference between art he’s done labeled “Banksy” and “Unknown Artist” is about $400,000. The best line is when Banksy says “he didn’t follow the rules…(sigh) but there aren’t supposed to be any rules.” Haha, so perfect.
In closing, watch this movie. If you know anyone who’s ever bought a Mr. Brainwash piece for $35,000, PLEASE invite them over, and keep the cameras rolling on them, so we can all enjoy watching someone turn green, as they become physically sick realizing they could have had a new BMW, but instead hung up an embarrassment in their living room. Then turn to them at the end of it and say, “it’s not a big deal man, I doubt anyone will watch this…” then laugh really hard.
If you need me, I’ll be trolling the Mr Brainwash Facebook page with Forester.
PS – Banksy your art really is amazing, and if by chance you’re reading this and feel like sending me over a piece, I promise not to sell it and buy a house, (I’m lying, I would totally sell it and buy a house).
