By Aaron Jankowski
They set out to change the world but only managed to change themselves.
Velvet Goldmine, written and directed by Todd Haynes, follows a journalist, played by Christian Bale, as he tries to find out what happened to pop icon Brian Slade after he faked his own assassination on stage at a show Bale was at.
During his investigation, Bale speaks with everyone from Slade’s first manager to his ex-wife, played by Toni Collette, while using his own involvement in the glam-rock scene to piece together the information.
The film is about more than just Bale’s investigation however. The film explores the rise of glam-rock, an age of bisexuality. Combining both of those elements so perfectly is a love triangle between Brian Slade, played by Jonathan Rhys Meyers, and his hero turned accomplice, Curt Wild, played by Ewan McGregor, and Slade’s wife.
Delving into Slade’s life stirs up mixed emotions for Bale, as we see him filled with both nostalgic glee and catholic guilt over his own involvement in the sexual escapades of the glam-rock movement.
Slade is clearly based off of David Bowie circa the Ziggy Stardust years, and though the soundtrack features none of Bowie’s work, the score is guided by Bowieque sounds. With songs by Brain Eno, Slade, Thom Yorke, Thurston Moore, T-Rex, Roxy Music, as well as original songs sung by McGregor and Rhys Meyers this is a movie best watched with your stereo turned up loud.
Rhys Meyers shines as Slade when he is singing and shaking around doing his best Bowie, which more than makes up for his subpar acting performance. McGregor’s depiction of out-of-control drugged out rocker Curt Wild, looking and at times acting like Kurt Cobain, is perfect.
Though his performance may make some squeamish. When we first see Wild perform live, he ends his set by jumping around naked and shaking his penis at the crowd.
Velvet Goldmine, like the cultural movement it portrays, is unapologetically sexual and may make some views feel extreme unease.
When Bale asks Slade’s first manager about Slade, his answer sums the film up perfectly, “He was elegance walking hand in hand with a lie.”
This film is an excellent biopic about a musician whose fabrication hardly takes away from the beauty of the story.
SCORE: 10/10
ACTING: 7/10
EFFECTS/VISUAL: 8 /10
WRITING: 7/10
DIRECTING: 8 /10
OVERALL: 40/50
TAKE AWAY THOUGHT: Before watching Velvet Goldmine, make sure you have a hefty supply of David Bowie records on hand. After watching Brian Slade trot around in platform boots, and wearing glitter eye makeup for two hours, you will be left wanting more of the music.
No comments:
Post a Comment