REVIEW - BEGINNERS (DIR. OL' DIRTY MIKE MILLS)

For those of you who don't know, Mike Mills is a fucking genius. He's pretty well versed in all art forms. From strumming away in an indie rock quartet in New York to making artwork for Ol' Dirty Bastard (Shimmy Shimmy Ya cover). You should read his blog about the film (http://www.filminfocus.com/profile/mike_mills), it's filled with inspiring, intelligent musings about art and stuff that I could never understand. So I read his thoughts and it makes me feel clever - cheers Mike. This is what Mr. Mills looks like:

Sweet hat.

This month saw the release of Mike's new project: Beginners. Which is a semi-auto-almost-biographical account following the character Oliver's (Ewan McGregor) dealings with first: his father's dramatic exit out of the closet (just four months after his mother dies). And second: his father's own death four years later. You'd think this would be quite a lot for 38 year old Oliver to cope with, as it happens: you're right! He finds a girl (Anna, played by Melanie Laurent), spirals into depression, and draws some sad sappy pictures (penned by Mills himself) that wouldn't look out of place on the front of an Elliott Smith LP.

Just be glad it wasn't Beth Ditto, Present.

The great thing about Beginners is that it's plain and simple: a Romance; however, it's one of those extremely subtle art house Romances that has enough sharp-exhale-through-the-nose comedy, intercut visual metaphors and harmonious backing tracks to keep the male viewer soppily smiling throughout. There are various comedic cues - my favourite being Oliver's Jack Russell, who candidly offers relationship advice throughout.

It doesn't.

Mills is clearly heavily influenced by French cinema, art and politics. He cites in his blog that the graffiti we see Oliver doing was inspired by the humorous graffiti that was part of the riots and general upheaval of the May 68 riots in Paris, which is really cool. Also, the film has an incredibly fresh French Nu-Wave feel to it, featuring existential themes - with questions and contradictions of reality and identity in different time periods of the USA. And there is a hot french chick:

mmmmmm...

The film is sequenced in flashbacks, with three relationships running in parallel to each other. Oliver attempts to put into practice what he learnt from his late father's final years, and avoid living like his estranged mother and father. It's an incredibly warming tale of liberation and learning after death that I strongly recommend you go and see right now. It's better than any of the current drivel about to be released.

You've been warned.

Mike Mills Blog - http://mikemillsweb.com/humans.html

Mike Mills Vidyah content - http://mikemillsweb.com/filmandvideo.html

Another Mike Mills Blog - http://www.filminfocus.com/profile/mike_mills