Review of Paranoid Park (2007) by Brandon S — 15 Jan 2012

At first glance Gus Van Sant's Paranoid Park may seem like a somewhat unconventional take on the classic murder mystery. Perhaps a teenage noir reminiscent of Rian Johnson's Brick. What is then so surprising is how disinterested Van Sant is in with any genre conventions. Rather than unravel a mystery he examines a young soul.

Based upon Blake Nelson's novel of the same name, it follows skater boy Alex as he finds himself among a group of young boarders suspected of murder. Despite it's subject matter, it isn't so concerned with the whodunit as why and how. The pieces to the puzzle are layed out in the earliest scenes of the film, but it's only till later that we realize what he have. The film circles around in a non-linear fashion slowly putting the pieces in their proper place.

Because the answers are given so early in the film, this gives us time to truthfully examine the life of a teenage boy. The film is much more concerned with the relationship with his girlfriend, with his parents and how he deals with a broken home. Taken with it's mish-mash of visual and musical styles, Van Sant creates a beautiful and unnerving coming of age story. It just so happens that it also includes death by skateboard.

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