[edit] # 11:01

Rabbit Food

BROWN BUNNY is the infamous new film by Vincent Gallo. There is a correlation between one's view of Vincent Gallo and one's view of the movie. If you can't buy into Gallo, you won't be able to buy into BROWN BUNNY.

So, I liked the movie (see this is where I stand). It was full of conceptual ideas and was fraught with heavy meaning. Gallo has a lyrical way of trying to get his tightly wound concepts across. He uses a lot of clues, silence and framing (that is - the subject of his lens is frequently slightly out of frame) to tell his story of regret. There are some humorous moments, but unlike BUFFALO 66 you won't find yourself laughing self-consciously. He doesn't relieve the psyche in that way, instead he provides the viewer with the loneliness of the open road and the odd mundane-ness of trying to make fleeting connections with strangers (something that happens every day in every bar across the US). The rawness of those fleeting connections feel almost serial-killer-esque as the character of Bud Clay drives from New Hampshire to California.

Much has been made of the many credits Gallo has in this film. He's credited as screenwriter/director/actor/costume designer/cameraman/editor as well as a few more. Gallo is an admitted control freak and as an indie director it makes sense that he would wear many hats in the film. So I'm not sure that aspect is as narcissistic as critics propose it to be.

The infamous scene with Chloe Sevigny is graphic, but not sexy (at all). Even though I buy into Gallo's concepts, the scene begs the question "Would he reveal all, if he wasn't gifted?" Because even if the scene isn't pleasureable or narcissistic (and I'll give him that) it still is, intentional or not - a good advertisement of his jewels.

If you're curious or like Gallo, give it a go.

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