Never Met Picasso

 

Picture: C+     Sound: C+     Extras: D     Film: B-

 

 

The Gay New Wave has not amounted to much, but besides launching a few good directors, a few films here and there have not been bad.  Of course, we keep getting more and more glutted with Gay-themed product, because it is the “in” thing, but Stephen Kijak’s Never Met Picasso (1996) is an exception.

 

Andrew (Alexis Arquette) still lives with his mother (Margot Kidder); not being able to take off into any school or project that will help his artistic capacities and career.  Gay, he is now 30 years old, an age his friend Lucy (Georgia Rasdale) is just turning.  She is a sculptor sort of ready to celebrate this fact, while Andrew wants her to be happy.  He takes some inspiration from his Uncle Alfred (Alvin Epstein), who also happens to be gay.

 

He still takes art classes, when one day, he notices being eyed by a fellow painter Jerry (Don McKeller).  However, this encounter is a miss when Jerry starts to his on the nude male model both were interpreting, but their paths cross later.  This leaves Andrew wondering who or what will be the next inspiration or distraction.

 

This is a very well acted, well-cast film, with Arquette being able to carry the lead well.  The camera likes him, and he knows how to carry himself.  The acting is as believable as writer/director Kijak’s screenplay.  At 97 minutes, the film might run longer than the narrative allows, but it is consistent in the reality and portrayal of the life he leads.  Anything extra does not break the rhythm of the film, though we would still get the idea if certain things were trimmed down.  The love scenes are scare, even when they happen, and might have been a distraction from the points the film tries to make over how an artist does or does not live.  Kidder, who has had well publicized troubles, is pretty good here too.  She was always a likable screen presence since De Palma’s Sisters (1973).

 

The 1.85 X 1 letterboxed image is not bad, shot by cinematographer David Tarnes.  It is not as clear as it could be and an anamorphic transfer would have helped, but it is still watchable.  The Dolby Digital 2.0 is from a recent recording, but this is barely stereo.  You can still hear dialogue well, while the music by Kristin Hersh makes sense for the world portrayed, in usually non-digetic music.  The DVD has no extras.

 

This film got a surprising amount of coverage in the pres in its time, considering its independent status and the nature of the material.  It looks like the hype that came its way was justified at the time.  Never Mind Picasso clicks well enough that it may be a minor classic down the line in the way it so naturalistically portrays gays without exploiting them or its audience.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo