Velvet Buzzsaw | Film Review

The world of art is a weird and fickle creature. The idea that people pay millions for one painting or another is ludicrous for something that is ultimately subjective. We can go on about how the fine art world is mostly a place where the one percenters of the world hide their money and avoid taxes, but frankly this article isn’t about that, and honestly, I’m not smart enough to intelligently tell that story. Netflix’s latest original from writer/director Dan Gilroy, who has brought us movies like Nightcrawler and Roman J. Israel, Esq., Velvet Buzzsaw delves into this finer side of the art world, teaching us a few things about critique along the way.

Dease, a man with a long and tortured past, suddenly dies and leaves behind an immense catalog of art that enthralls all that view it. Josephina – being an industrious, up-and-coming art dealer – discovers her neighbor’s horde of art destined for destruction and rescues it. What follows is a series of supernatural deaths targeting those whose greed supersedes art.

To say that is all there is to this tale both informs you, dear reader, and robs you of the intricacies of a well-layered plot. Though there may be some storytelling happening that the uncharitable would call meandering or unnecessary, I would argue that it all held a purpose. If not a purpose, then an opportunity to give the exemplary cast time and space to fill in the blanks with character choices that enrich and expand the experience. This is my second go-round with Gilroy’s darker stories, and though mileage may vary with Nightcrawler, it is hard to not appreciate his brand of off-kilter screenwriting.

Jake Gyllenhaal is simply infuriating. Who molded this creature to create the perfect blend of leading man and amazing character actor? Gyllenhaal’s portrayal of Morf Vandewalt (that name alone should have immediately killed any credibility) was expertly executed. Morf is a cartoon character brought to life, what could have been a caricature instead becomes a real person of flesh and blood in Gyllenhaal’s hands. Rene Russo’s Rhodora Haze – wow, another name spellcheck doesn’t know what to do with – is a wonderful example of the work we have come to expect from her. Zawe Ashton’s Josephina is the last of the main players, and her role is frustrating in that good way where you know and have interacted with this person, and now you actively try to avoid them whenever you can.

Filling out the rest of the cast we have some amazing talent from veterans and newcomers alike. Daveed Diggs keeps it interesting with his streetwise portrayal of artist, Damrish. John Malkovich proves he doesn’t need a lot of time to show people why he remains a giant. Natalia Dyer, of Stranger Things fame, gives us the sweet and kind portrayal of a newcomer to the industry who isn’t fit to swim with sharks, and Toni Collette swings for the fences and looks amazing doing it. The cast is exhausting, amazing, and the only way to sell outsiders on how ridiculous the art world is.

Not too long ago when HBO and its ilk started creating their own original movies, they were nice but felt very much like a TV-movie, and not remotely like anything we would see on the big screen. Times have changed for everyone and Netflix seems to be taking advantage of it. Gilroy and his creative team have produced something that feels like it should have hit theaters nationwide. Like much of the art, shots feel lovingly crafted. None of it comes across as slapdash, which is how someone who mistakenly thinks they are creating a Jackson Pollock by spraying paint this way and that would relay a similar work. Gilroy’s film is entirely planned, layered, and placed right where it needs to go, which is how Pollock truly worked.

“Critique is so limiting and emotionally draining” is a wonderful line spoken in Velvet Buzzsaw which rang very true for me. I want to tell you that this movie was amazing and great and wonderfully entertaining, but I don’t feel right doing so. All those things are true for me, but I understand that mileage will vary. The story to some of you will feel a little all over the place, hard to follow. The acting for others will feel over-the-top and way out there, and the production will go unnoticed. Everything is subjective, especially in art, but Netflix brings us something rife with possibilities for its viewers of Velvet Buzzsaw.