Review of Paranoid Park (2007) by Toms T — 30 Jul 2012
In the hands of a lesser director, "Paranoid Park" probably shouldn't work. A diary of narration, an inexpressive skate rat, soft music over invasive spurts of a lingering camera. Another day in Gus Van Sant's Portlandia.
His twisted tale of murder on the hands of sixteen-year-old Alex (Gabe Nevins), who accidentally pushes a security guard in front of a freight train, is a shocker. That's another thing: twisted. Van Sant's prints are all over "Paranoid Park".
Manipulative? You be the judge. But I don't think it's the sporadically-placed plot points on the outside that mean to sting. "Park" is best when the nerves of realization can be read inside Alex, an emotionally wracking performance by Nevins.
Van Sant has the film unfold like shards of a shattered dream. Every bit bruises.
This review of Paranoid Park (2007) was written by Toms T on 30 Jul 2012.
Paranoid Park has generally received positive reviews.
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