Dan Gilroy

  • Velvet Buzzsaw (2019)

    Velvet Buzzsaw (2019)

    ByChristian Sauvé Movie Review

    (Netflix Streaming, December 2020) I’m weirdly interested in the modern art market: the intersection of art and irrational investment is almost too weird to be true, but the dollar figures speak from themselves. For writer-director Dan Gilroy, it was perhaps the most logical follow-up to Nightcrawler’s local news insanity. In Velvet Buzzsaw, Jake Gyllenhaal plays an art critic who becomes involved in the posthumous discovery of an outsider artist, and who realizes far too late that the work is cursed in lethal ways. Unfortunately, there are two films in Velvet Buzzsaw and one is far more successful than the other. The satirical look at the modern art industry is on-target and could have sustained the film on its own: The complex ecology of artists, critics, gallery owners, investors, museum curators, “investment consultants” and assistants to all of these is very well portrayed, and the film isn’t afraid to blend whimsy with satire – seeing the protagonist having an opinion on every-single-thing never stops being funny, but the script’s fast-paced rhythm manages to skewer nearly everyone in sight. (By the time a gory murder scene is hilariously misinterpreted as an installation, I was cackling aloud.) Weirdly enough, though, the story’s steady and complete slide into horror is not as successful – and I say that as someone who’s far friendlier to genre material than most, and who often shoves liminal works into a supernatural interpretation. What bothered me most is a common failing of non-horror writers who decide to tackle the genre: an absence of clear rules as to what we’re dealing with. The horror in Velvet Buzzsaw is more expressionist than logical: There are no limits to what demonic possession can or cannot do, and that gives an arbitrary quality to the narrative when even smart characters can’t adequately anticipate and protect themselves against fatality. Maybe that’s part of the point, but I don’t think so – while I can appreciate an ironic finale as much as anyone (and Velvet Buzzsaw has a really good one that ties back into its title), there’s a mushy dreamlike quality to the third act of the film that could have been much improved had it been overlaid on a coherent foundation: when everything is a dream, the stakes are lowered, and when the plan is to kill everyone but the bespectacled assistant (a very cute Natalia Dyer), then the horror remains a joke. Gilroy being Gilroy and friendly with half of Hollywood, the talent assembled here often outstrips the material: Nightcrawler star Gyllenhaal can’t do any wrong here, Gilroy’s wife Rene Russo is well cast as a galley owner, Zawe Ashton makes a good impression as an assistant and John Malkovich has a superfluous but enjoyable turn as a cranky artist. I may be disappointed by Velvet Buzzsaw’s uneven control over its material, but I did like the result quite a bit despite its imperfections: it’s funny, dark, smart, fast-paced and as visually interesting as some of the pieces it showcases.

  • Roman J. Israel, Esq. (2017)

    Roman J. Israel, Esq. (2017)

    ByChristian Sauvé Movie Review

    (Video On-Demand, February 2018) I’ve heard Roman J. Israel, Esq. discussed as a fascinating character study wrapped in an underwhelming story, and that certainly has some merit as a description. The best thing about the film is Roman J. Israel, Esq. as played by the ever-capable Denzel Washington, a genius-level lawyer with substantial social interaction problems. Comfortable in his role as the rarely seen brainy half of a two-man small legal outfit, Israel starts having problems once his partner dies, leaving him to fend off in a hostile environment. Getting hired is difficult enough that he’s got to accept a few favours, but staying employed is even more difficult when his personality clashes with just about everyone in a top legal firm. Issues of romance, class, crime and legal ethics come to complicate this already challenging situation, but even with all its flourishes (and occasional action sequences), Roman J. Israel, Esq. seems to deflate as it nears a conclusion. I suspect that the film would have been more successful with a more upbeat ending. In the meantime, we are free to admire Washington’s portrayal, or its nuanced look at the life of an idealistic lawyer. Both Colin Farrell and Carmen Ejogo continue their streak of good supporting performances. Writer/director Dan Gilroy doesn’t meet the considerable expectations set by his debut feature Nightcrawler, but his follow-up remains a watchable effort and a decent showcase for Washington.

  • Nightcrawler (2014)

    Nightcrawler (2014)

    ByChristian Sauvé Movie Review

    (Netflix Streaming, November 2015) The concept of the anti-hero is retooled with vigour in Nightcrawler, thanks to a terrific collaboration between writer/director Dan Gilroy and another exceptional performance by Jake Gyllenhaal.  Taking place in modern Los Angeles (now illuminated at night by bright-white LED streetlamps) where competing news stations are literally out for blood, Nightcrawler is first and foremost the character study of a modern sociopath, one whose ambition is fueled by personal-growth Internet sites, a complete lack of morals and a world that gleefully applauds the result of his efforts.  Gyllenhaal is phenomenal in the lead hustler role, portraying a deeply wrong character with almost-complete detachment: the film’s best scene is a “simple” dinner date in which a human relationships is dissected to its most self-interested axioms.  Otherwise, much of the film is spent in the streets of Los Angeles at night, chasing accidents and selling video footage to the highest bidder.  It’s a nightmarish but well-executed film, Gilroy showing talent at his first directorial effort –and showcasing his wife Rene Russo in one of the best roles she’s had in years.  There’s quite a bit of depth in the way Nightcrawler also engages with issues of degenerate capitalism, social voyeurism and media fearmongering.  It’s quite a film, but also quite an experience in how it refuses to see things from outside its lead character’s perspective.  Don’t be surprised if you want to shower after watching it.