Cannes, France — Variety’s Todd McCarthy writes of Gus Van Sant as adding "another panel to his series of pictures about disaffected, disconnected youth."
The word "panel" is an appropriately inert designation for Van Sant’s lazy man’s approach to making movies by aiming his camera at inarticulate young male characters.
Behind the torturously "atmospheric" (read lame) "Gerry," "Elephant," and "Last Days, "Van Sant's latest film almost seems to have some narrative structure.
Based on Blake Nelson’s novel, "Paranoid Park" is set in Portland, Oregon where skateboarding teens live an underground existence that gravitates around an illegal skatepark responsible for the film’s title.
The movie slips into gear when 16-year-old Alex (Gabe Nevins) accidentally knocks a train security guard to his death while "riding the rails" with a newfound friend from the skatepark.
A local detective grills Alex and his sloppily dressed skateboard friends, and Alex’s estranged family life rattles against his inability to connect with the girl whose virginity he takes as if he were washing the dishes.
"Paranoid Park" may be the best of Gus Van Sant's last four films, but that isn’t saying much.
Rated R. 84 mins.
