Review: Paranoid Park

PARANOID
PARK
Directed by:
Gus Van Sant

PLOT: A drama adapted from Blake Nelson’s book about a teenage
skateboarder haunted by an accidental yet unspeakable act he
committed. The film portrays the complex lives of maturing high
school kids at crossroads in their adolescent lives.

CRITIQUE:  The creator of MY OWN PRIVATE IDAHO,
GOOD WILL HUNTING, ELEPHANT and DRUGSTORE COWBOY, recruits a group
of adolescent amateurs in this impressive film to depict the
confusion, anxiety, pain and torment that often haunts teenagers on
different levels. The way in which Van Sant captures the various
emotions displays a magical vision of broken innocence. The visual
direction of brilliant cinematographer Chris Doyle is so artistic it
captivates the audience in every frame.

Shot loosely in an artistic trippy, slow motion style, the
film creates a perception of feeling like you are trapped in a dream
sequence and immersed in the skateboarder’s dilemma. The music is
quite diverse and compliments every scene and action appropriately,
thus enhancing the moods and sensations of the teenagers. There are
some awesome slow mo skateboarding sequences, which capture the
sport in such a mesmerizing fluidity. Alternating between present
and past seasons, flashbacks, ambiguous conversations and broken
scenes, the story comes together nicely and clarifies the incoherent
and confusing parts.

Actor Gabe Nevins, who is cast as the frightened skateboarder
Alex, is the perfect embodiment of a lost teenager trying to make
sense of his conflicted emotions. The lost look on his face and
indifferent attitude to his girlfriend are a perfect display of what
his character is feeling. As he tries to figure out how to deal with
and forgive himself for the frightful night, the skateboarder finds
solace in purging his sins on paper. He cleanses himself of his
greatest guilt by jotting things down as he feels them.

You can’t help but empathize with his character based on
the look of confusion and torment on Alex’s face.
Anyone who is or has been a teenager can relate to the angst
and hopelessness often felt at that particular time. I for one felt
grateful for having survived and passed those years. With the
artistic assistance of Doyle, Van Sant creates a visually satisfying
and psychologically stimulating film that is inspiring and
relatable. — 7/10