Review of Old Joy (2006) by Ryan D — 19 Jun 2007

The premise is so breathtakingly simple but it's not worth knowing, it will only build judgments and judgments are the last thing you want to pile on this fragile speck of human beauty. You could call Old Joy "unassuming" but it's not, there's nothing meek about it, it has a quiet purpose that it achieves with flawless precision. Allow me to cut through the bullshit: this is the most honest portrayal of "friendship" that I have ever seen on-screen.

And HOLY SHIT, Bonnie Prince Billy?? That beard!! Sadly, we never hear his soft guitar (yo la tengo takes care of that)--instead, we watch him become a startling reflection of everyone's best friend (or you, or me... in a few years). oh and don't forget kids: not only do we see Will Oldham, we get to see him smoke bowwll after bowwwwl.

Childish excitement aside, there is a moment in this film that I cannot leave unmentioned--the "climax." christ what a nasty, salty word, what an ugly formulaic cog. it spits in the face of the scene I'm speaking of it sullies the water vapor that's woven in the trees and and the hand that sinks into--woah, okay, too far here, please see Old Joy, it's a beautiful fucking movie.

Ps: the crew was insanely small, the advertising totaled $37,500 and the DVD comes with a slideshow of production stills--when does it stop getting better?? when Will Oldham fades out of frame.