Review of Art School Confidential (2006) by Marilee A — 27 Aug 2011

An art student pursues a beautiful woman while a killer stalks the student body.

I liked the film's almost oppressively cynical air. Multiple characters remark how the human species should be wiped off the planet, and the art teachers/successful artists pillory the art establishment at will. At the center of the film is an exploration of what art is or should do, and the filmmakers seem to suggest that all answers are wrong.

Also, Sophia Myles is astoundingly beautiful. Her performance is uneven, occasionally the girl next door and occasionally the damaged cynic, but she exudes sexuality effortlessly, and it's easy to understand Jerome's obsession with her.

However, the film is uneven. There is a plot twist that makes little sense, and Jerome's emotional state goes through unexplained peaks and valleys.

Overall, there are flaws in the storytelling, but the film's dark heart is in a unique place, which ultimately makes it worth the time.