THE GALLERIST

The Gallerist is a twisted, hilarious and entertaining critique of the world of modern art, questioning what is art and the value we place on it, led by powerhouse performances from Natalie Portman, Jenna Ortega and Catherine Zeta-Jones; exciting camera work and a deliciously dark and razor sharp screenplay that creates an exhilarating new film from director Cathy Yan.

Art has always been a sign of wealth and taste, driving collectors to pay obscene amounts of money to turn their wealth into a physical collection that they can display for all the world to see. But in today’s world, the line between art and what some individuals may call junk has become murky at the best of times. Is a pile of sacks on the floor a work of art, or is it merely a pile of sacks? And if it is art, what is it trying to communicate to the viewer? This idea is at the heart of what director Cathy Yan and her co-writer James Pedersen scrutinize in The Gallerist, taking this concept and pushing it to the extreme as a crime is tried to be covered up and passed off as a work of art. Assembling a stellar cast of actors to bring to life this exploration of what is art, and whether it is truly about artistic expression or corporate greed, Yan and Pedersen conjure up provocative, absolutely hilarious yet critical tour de force examination of the modern art world that never pulls its punches or fails to amaze.

From the second the film begins, Yan and Pedersen infuse the film with an undeniable camp as they unleash their critique of the art world, one that undoubtedly will divide audiences on the film as there is no in between opinion on The Gallerist. It is either a film you are going to love or one you are going to hate, and you will know very quickly into the film which camp of thought you are going to fall into. Influenced by the real life event of a banana being taped to a wall and being sold for a million dollars as a work of art, Yan and Pedersen pose the question of what is art? Is it something that lies in the eyes of the beholder, as many of us have been conditioned to believe, or is it a commercial engine convincing us that something is art and therefore has a high value to it? Using this central question, Yan and Pedersen explore this within the intersections of a violent crime and the ever escalating egos of the film’s characters as they strive to not only ensure that they get away with murder, but make one of the biggest sales in art history. The screenplay itself is fast paced, smart and builds the daunting task faced by Polina, ensuring that the story’s momentum is never for a second squandered, even during the more intimate and quiet character moments. The result is a scathing critique that explores the slippery slope of compromise as the characters rationalize their heinous actions, as well as the staggering heights and absurdity of sales within the modern art world, highlighting individual greed and ego driven decisions all based around creating a highly calculated public perception.

It comes as no surprise that Natalie Portman excels in the leading role of Polina. Aided by the accessories, make-up and high heels worn by Polina, Portman naturally creates a larger than life persona for Polina that fits perfectly into the world of art dealing. Delivering quickly paced dialogue with a cutting honesty, Portman navigates the mounting pressure of the situation faced by Polina with a propulsive energy that not only captures the daunting nature of the con that Polina has to pull off, but the internal emotional hardship faced by her as she confront the possibility of going to jail for the rest of her life and her feelings for her ex-husband. It's a tour de force turn from Portman that creates a modern day Lady Macbeth-like character, making for one of her best performances in years. Opposite Portman is Jenna Ortega as Polina’s assistant, Kiki, and Ortega continues to prove herself as one of the most dynamic actresses of her generation. While Kiki starts off as a young assistant panicking and spiralling out of control with notion of having to hide a dead body in the gallery and moral consequences of doing so, Ortega develops a fierce strength within Kiki over the course of the film, through a natural progression as Kiki is forced out of the safety of her youthful existence and into high stakes and dangerous world. This character development that Ortega creates is naturally aided by the chemistry she finds on screen with Portman and Catherine Zeta-Jones, as they build a dynamite trio of powerful women, confirming that no matter the genre or role, Ortega will always shine bright with the performance she gives.

From the second her character enters the film, Zeta-Jones is a powerful addition to the film and you won’t be able to take your eyes off of her. As wicked as she is deliciously entertaining, Zeta-Jones encompasses the greed of the art world as Marianne Gorman, the art dealer trying to find a buyer for the piece of art that could get Polina and Kiki sent to jail. It feels like a role written for the immense talent of Zeta-Jones, who is no stranger to more dangerous and diabolical characters, allowing her to develop great moments of laughter within the satire of Yan and Pedersen’s screenplay. Watching Zeta-Jones unleashing her character’s power and influence to do whatever she can to sell the piece of art to her client despite knowing the crime that occurred and the potential danger it puts her client in, just to make the biggest sale possible, is an exhilarating experience that confirms Zeta-Jones’ unparalleled talents as an actress. Da’Vine Joy Randolph is the moral compass of the film as Stella Burgess, the artist whose work is on display in Polina’s gallery, providing a purity as she holds onto her artistic integrity and own beliefs amongst a cast of characters willing to do anything and everything to ensure they aren’t sent to prison and make the biggest sale imaginable. While it is these four ladies who dominate the film with their outstanding performances, the supporting male performances of Sterling K. Brown, Daniel Brühl and Zach Galifianakis are equally as impressive and only fuel the unhinged satire on display with their hilarious performances, while Charli XCX continues to prove her range as an actress in a small but unforgettable role in the film’s third act.

Being set in the world of art, the visual element of the film is of vital importance, and the production design more than delivers. The single location of Polina’s gallery is colourless and sterile, allowing the art to be prominently emphasized for all those who pass by, with the colour being reserved for the back offices, loading bay and washroom (with the orange colouring of the washrooms being an undeniable nod to Stanley Kubrick’s The Shinning, reflecting the sinister intentions of Polina, Kiki, and Marianne to sell the piece of art with a man impaled on it). Aside from the impaled body that is being passed off as a work of art, the pieces of art in the film are evocative, visually intriguing and abstract, which only helps the set design to keep the question at the heart of Yan and Pedersen’s screenplay present in every frame of the film.

To keep the single location feeling dynamic, Federico Cesca’s cinematography utilizes lots of long continuous shots carrying the audience through the gallery with shots that spin the image a full three hundred and sixty degrees. This keeps the momentum and the energy of the story high, mirroring the ever mounting stress and untethering that Polina is internalizing over the course of the film, while capturing the ever growing energy of the crowds within the gallery who have come to see the Emasculator piece. It's a great contrast to the static shots of the film’s opening and closing, which allows the audience to truly perceive the characters before and after the wild events of the story, and formulate their opinions on each of them. When combined with shots that are positioned within pieces of art that examine the characters as they view the work of art, capturing the stimulating thought and soulful experience of each piece of art and saving the reveal of those pieces of art until it has the biggest impact on the character’s arc over the course of the film, and the kinetic musical score of Andrew Orkin and Joseph Shirley, it allows Yan to create an all encompassing viewing experience that fully invests the audience in her ambitious critique of the art world.

What is art has always been a subjective question, gathering varied responses based on the individual viewing it, and while the stance that Cathy Yan and James Pedersen take in The Gallerist is highly critical of what the art world has evolved into today, like any work of art, the reactions to this film are going to be varied and passionate. While there are undoubtedly viewers who will not appreciate the brilliance of the discussion of art and art dealing in this film as Cathy Yan and James Pedersen question the absurd lengths members of society go to to find status in something that isn’t art, the undeniable camp and biting moments of dark comedy that are brilliantly brought to life by the film’s stellar ensemble cast ensures not only wild entertainment throughout The Gallerist, but one of the wildest art heists ever captured on camera. Delivering a nail-biting, thrilling and outrageously hilarious narrative that blurs the line between heinous criminal actions and championing artistic vision, that when paired with outstanding performances of Natalie Portman, Jenna Ortega and Catherine Zeta-Jones, a razor sharp screenplay and dynamic cinematography, ensures that The Gallerist.