Review of Paranoid Park (2007) by Ricardo O — 22 Mar 2010

Gus Van Sant's first film after his "death" trilogy (Gerry, Elephant, Last Days) is similar to the aforementioned films in that it has a lot of the same atmosphere and aesthetics but unlike its predecessors it takes a more conventional take on its narrative, it's still nonlinear like the others and has plenty of experimentation but uses a story that is just more conventional. It tells of a skateboard riding high school kid named Alex from Portland, Oregon. He has recently discovered a skate park in his hometown called Paranoid Park which sits right underneath a bridge by the river. It is a skatepark built illegally by skaters themselves so they can have a place to ride their beloved skateboards without being hassled by any cops. One day, after meeting and befriending a local skater at the park, Alex decides that going out one night and do some kind of adventuring might be the thing he needs to help him forget about his problems back home. When a security guard decides to give chase on Alex and his new friend who hop onto a train, tragedy strikes so quickly that the two teens are barely able to comprehend what has just happened. In the aftermath, the two are left to ponder on the consequences of their youthful recklessness. As the police start an investigation into the death and Alex begins to express himself in a deeply personal diary, the audience is then able to experience the pain and confusion of adolescence from the perspective of this young boy who was only seeking to escape from reality when suddenly confronted by the concept of mortality.

Based on the novel by Blake Nelson and originally only 33 pages long, Gus Van Sant crafts a film that delves into what many who are in their adolescence go through whether it's a divorce between the parents, his/her sexuality and trying to interact with others just like him. As always Van Sant brings an impressionistic mood to this film. It doesn't have any notable dialogue but still feels very natural especially since a lot of it was improvised by these young, amateur actors. Van Sant takes a turn by not working with his usual cinematographer and instead decides to work with acclaimed cinematographer Christopher Doyle (Chungking Express, Fallen Angels, In the Mood For Love) and it pays off immensely, as Doyle combines full-frame 35 mm with grainy super-8 (for the skating shots) to create a lush, moody atmosphere. Van Sant's eclectic taste for sound is, as usual, impeccable. He not only uses songs by Elliott Smith but also combines that with classical music as well as some music by Nino Rota and for the most part the music works pretty well although there are times it doesn't. The way he contrasts some of the music with slow motion shots work really well. Van Sant uses all amateur actors, all of which were recruited through social networking site MySpace and for the most part they all play theirs pretty well. Paranoid Park is filled gorgeous, unforgettable imagery through out it's 85 minutes and captures the complexities of teenage life. I don't think there's a better filmmaker out there can capture the angst and complex lives of a teenager. It may not be for everyone as it is an art film and not everyone will appreciate looking at the gorgeous imagery but for fans of Van Sant it is a must see. 10/10.