Storyline
Director Julian Schnabel illustrates the portrait of his friend, the first African-American pop artist Jean-Michel Basquiat who unfortunately died at a young age and just as he was beginning to make a name for himself in the art world. Alongside the biography of Basquiat are the artists and the art scene from early 1980’s New York.
Directors
Writers
Cast
Sam Rockwell, Gary Oldman, Christopher Walken, Elina Löwensohn, Benicio del Toro, Jeffrey Wright, Willem Dafoe, David Bowie, Michael Badalucco, Claire Forlani, Parker Posey, Dennis Hopper, Vincent Gallo, Michael Wincott, Paul Bartel, Joseph R. Gannascoli, Jean-Claude La Marre, Courtney Love, Tatum O'Neal, Rockets Redglare, Hope Clarke
Trailer
Reviews
100
Rolling Stone
Most movies stress the agony of art (think of Kirk Douglas' Van Gogh in "Lust for Life"). Schnabel's exceptional film honors his friend by showing the act of creation as a natural high.
88
The New York art world quickly makes Basquiat a star. His work is good (when you see it in the movie, you can feel why people liked it so much), but his story is better: from a cardboard box to a gallery opening!
80
Salon
For a first feature, this surprisingly likeable film might just revitalize Schnabel's persona in art circles, as well as make a splash with hip young filmgoers.
75
It's smart and good-hearted and boasts an amazingly good score, but the film is limited by the very private nature of the man it portrays.
70
But the film, written and directed by fellow artist Julian Schnabel, is so tender in its affections, these omissions and poetic licenses seem like the embellishments of a good friend.
