The Graffiti Artist (2004) Reviews

• There´s a Nick in all of us!

  matthias-maercks2004-04-01

  I saw the graffiti artist during the Berlin Film Festival ´04 next to a plenty of other movies but this one staid on my mind. Like only few movies it really made me think, and this is probably the biggest compliment you can make. Don´t think this only a movie for people that like graffiti, although I loved the graffiti aspect as it shows it the way it deserves, as a real art form. This alone is a reason to see it, but the movie goes deeper, it dares to ask questions, questions that are valid to everybody, questions that should be asked more often. The movie gives you a rare seen undistorted image of an anonymous society and the need and importance for an individual to express itself. In this way Nick represents all our hopes and fears. On the one hand he does what everybody wants, he does what he loves without compromises, but on the other hand he has to pay an enormous price for it. He shows that a self-determined life is possible and refuses to adapt to common structures consistently, but therefore he is confronted in the hardest way with the coldness that marks our society so strong and that we fear so much. Maybe this movie tells the story of a teenager, but above all it deals with general problems, and I was fascinated of the intensity that is created. This I think depends on another big strength of the movie, the fact that it never looks down on his protagonists but treats them with the necessary respect all the time. Therefore go and look out for this movie, I promise you won´t regret. I also have to say I really enjoyed the fact that the movie was filmed with digital cameras. It really improved it and in addition to the great acting of the young protagonists it creates an extremely true, personal picture, never looking cheap. A absolute highlight!

• beautiful film..

  skatvr62005-06-02

  I just saw this movie on DVD; had to get it from the website as nobody seems to carry it..and it was definitely worth the wait of almost two & a half weeks. The film is very beautiful, flows as a dream would...very visually driven, the protagonists don't speak much but then they don't really have to, Nick, played by ruben bansie-snellman, doesn't portray the most 'charismatic' character ever, though that does seem to work for the character, Nick 'feels' genuine because he doesn't talk much or cares to engage anyone in conversation for conversation's sake. He's simply a young man trying to find his voice in the world, politically, socially, sexually. The film is a gem, I often felt like reaching out to Nick b/c I could relate to so many things his character portrayed...nice, different film.

• Freeing Art, Freeing Yourself.

  indiemagic2004-07-21

  This movie truly didn't need dialogue. With a soundtrack by Kid Loco, and a story that is as surreal and beautiful-- the written dialog becomes a secondary in such a film. Nick aka "Rupture", the graffiti artist, is a loner. His artistic "tagging" gets him in trouble with the law where he finds himself moving from Portland to Seattle meeting up with Jesse aka "Flip." A relationship grows between them as they "tag" together and live together. They become intimate, Jesse becomes more uncomfortable with those feelings, takes flight back to Portland leaving a tragic Nick, high and dry. This movie is less about Nick and Jesse's relationship and more about the outstanding artist, Nick is, and what limits he will go to show it, even jail. Great dream-like movie that takes you into the life of an artist, a graffiti artist. I got to see it @ a Film Festival and cannot wait to see it again and again.

• not an action flick

  samzpan2006-02-25

  i just came from a big Hollywood movie, the pink panther, and this little indy flick, the graffiti artist, just blows away Steve martin and his stupid ego movie. this is not an action flick, you have to get into the head of the main actor (ruben bansie-snellman) (shorten your name buddy), it really paints a picture of this young dude whose life is centered around spraying and tagging. he finally meets another young man into the same scene and falls in love with him. so the two get around to having sex, and then the kid with all the money just dumps the street boy. this is a very moving film, and it breaks your heart to see this kid out on the street again, getting busted again etc. congrats to the director, James Bolton, who also did Eban & Charley, a movie that focused on intergenerational love but not the mainstream hysterical manner which is "middle America's" take on it. For those people who didn't like this movie, go back to your couch and turn on the TV. I'm sure there is a Fox channel that has exactly what you are looking for.

• The Graffiti Artist is Cinematic Art!

  gradyharp2005-07-06

  James Bolton ('Eban and Charley') is emerging as a filmmaker of considerable note. As writer, producer and director of THE GRAFFITI ARTIST he is introducing a new realm of American verismo that is beautiful to watch, touching in content, and a creatively conceived film from beginning to end. Portland, present time. Nick (a young Dutch actor Ruben Bansie-Snellman whose magnetism on the camera recalls the early James Dean) is a teenager who lives the solitary life, committed to his passion of tagging via graffiti art under the tag name 'Rapture'. He keeps journals of his drawings, photographs of his graffiti, and stays alive by shoplifting his tools of spray cans and his vegetarian diet foods. Always on the look out for police who arrest taggers, Nick is a man against the world. He is arrested for his art. Upon release Nick, by happenstance one day, meets a fellow tagger Jesse (Pepper Fajans) with whom he finally speaks (to this point there has been no dialogue from Nick) and follows around, sharing art and tagging. Jesse apparently has some money from his mother and is able to provide Nick with food and shelter. The two travel to Seattle to tag, create some truly beautiful graffiti art, and slowly bond to the point that Jesse invites Nick into his bed. What follows is one of the more sensuous yet understated same-sex scenes on film. By morning Jesse already has conflicts with the evening's tryst: Nick appears serenely satisfied yet anxious about Jesse's response. They continue to tag, creating a new, partnered tag name 'Elusive'. Jesse eventually distances himself from the guarded Nick and leaves to return to Portland. Nick tries to maintain his lifestyle but is now living in the streets and tagging in dangerous places that result in run-ins with the law.But primarily because he misses Jesse, the only other person with whom he has bonded, Nick returns to Portland, leaving tag messages signed 'Rapture' wherever he sees Jesse's signature 'Flip'. At last Nick finds Jesse, and learns that Jesse doesn't want to have anything to do with him. Alone again, Nick's return to his solitary life and the way he deals with his dream is the may the story ends. Though there is almost no dialogue in this film, Director Bolton capitalizes on the magnetism of his actors' body language and especially eye language and the result is simply stunning. Ruben Bansie-Snellman owns the screen and creates a character so heartrendingly simple in his complexity that he pulls us into his strange world of Nick every moment. The music score by Kid Loco and the cinematography by Sarah Levy enhance the dark mood of this piece. THE GRAFFITI ARTIST allows us to see this world as one cruel to those who don't 'fit' and makes a quiet, powerful statement about the lone individual in a landscape foreign in every way except in art. Highly recommended. Grady Harp