TheBrianJ Reviews - Exit Through The Gift Shop · 11:12pm Jul 31st, 2015
In January of 2012, my older brother came to visit me in Seattle. WHile he was here, he told me about a movie he had seen that he wanted to watch: a documentary called Exit Through The Gift Shop about street art, more specifically Banksy. I had no interest in the world of street art, but I decided to give it a try.
The next hour and a half would go on to change my life.
It was one of the most fascinating documentaries I had ever seen, and it got me interested in the world of art. At the time, I was just getting into the brony community, and was considering writing. WIth street art on the mind, I began thinking of a story in which Vinyl Scratch—masquerading as a street artist named Flanksy—would comfort her best friend, Octavia, and teach her about the world of art and expression. This idea for a one-shot slowly grew and changed and would eventually become a story I truly consider my opus, and the most successful and fulfilling thing I have ever written: Exit Through Canterlot.
But now it occurs to me, it’s been three and a half years since I watched Exit Through The Gift Shop. How does it hold up? Is my love and admiration of the movie blinded by what it DID for me as a writer, or is it truly the amazing documentary I remember it?
So come, reader. Take my hand, and we will look back at the movie that would create the spark of the story about the spark. Let’s look at Exit Through The Gift Shop. There will obviously be some spoilers, but I will try to keep it to as few as possible.
Also, let go of my hand. It’s hard to type like this.
So here’s a fun fact for you: Exit Through the Gift Shop isn’t about Banksy.
Well, not directly. Yes, he’s the most famous street artist on the planet, he made the documentary, and he’s the one who really got everything rolling. But the movie isn’t about him.
The movie is about Thierry Guetta.
Back in college I had mutton chops like that. No, really. That's not a joke.
Thierry Guetta is a strange fellow, a man of French origin who is obsessed with filming. As in, he carries a camera around everywhere and is constantly filming. He discovers that his cousin is a rather famous street artist, and becomes more and more interested in the community. He lies about making a documentary (he never actually looks at his work, he just films it then stores the videos) and films street artists around the country and the US for months and months. Eventually, this leads him to the most famous of them all, the mysterious and controversial Banksy.
As he gains Banksy’s trust, Guetta’s interest in the world of street art grows. And when something happens that requires Guetta to head out on his own for a while, Banksy leaves him with a suggestion: become a street artist himself. And that is as far as I am going to go in explaining this documentary, because honestly, anything else becomes a massive spoiler.
The first thing to bring up when reviewing this movie is the biggest question that hangs over everything to this day: is it a real documentary, or is it fake? There are plenty of people who believe everything in the movie was scripted, that Thierry Guetta was a creation of Banksy from day one. Honestly, it’s hard to tell; it is an unbelievable story, but one that is entirely within the realm of plausibility. There are legitimate arguments on both sides. Banksy and co swear up and down that it’s real, but then, Banksy isn’t the kind of person who everyone trusts, so it’s hard to tell.
But I’m skirting around the issue too much, so let’s discuss the main point of this movie: what is art?
Art is undefinable. I don’t have the talent to point to one thing and say “that is art” and point to another and say “that is not art.” I don’t think anyone has that talent. But there are many schools of thought about art, and one of them is heavily steeped in the idea of monetization. How much hype can you drum up, how much money can you make from art, questions like that. But does making money make you an artist? Can hype overcome talent? Or is it even overcoming anything in the first place and it’s SUPPOSED to be this way? And what about the other side of it? Is spraying walls with paint art, or just vandalism?
Depending on who you ask, a brilliant artist or a disgusting vandal.
That is a topic that Exit Through The Gift Shop tackles both head-on and indirectly, at the same time. Because the issue is basically everywhere in the movie, but it’s never in your face. It’s there enough to be at the back of your mind the whole time, especially the ending, but never outright stated.
It’s this balance that makes the movie so fascinating: many documentaries show their point of view and that’s it. They are very informative, extremely well done, and they will present one, or both, sides of the story. This movie gets the same information out, but doesn’t really portray sides. No, it gives you all the information you need, then as soon as you realize what the fuck hit you, it ends, and you’re left with nothing but questions.
Is Thierry Guetta a weird idiot, or the most brilliant businessman to ever work in the world of art? Is Banksy ashamed of his association with Thierry Guetta, or did he get exactly what he hoped? What kind of statement is the movie making about art, or advertisement, or life? Is this fucking movie even REAL, or was it all an elaborate hoax? And just what defines art?
I kinda want to get a print of this to hang on my wall.
I don’t have these answers for you! And that’s what makes the movie so brilliant… it’s a documentary that somehow leaves WAY more questions than anything else. They aren’t questions anyone can answer directly, and THAT is what makes this movie stand out… it makes you think more than almost any other movie I have ever seen. It’s the kind of movie that will stick with you for days, weeks, months, just thinking about what it all means.
So, we come to the question: does Exit Through The Gift Shop hold up? Yes. Absolutely yes without a shadow of a doubt. In fact, upon my second viewing, I think I liked it even more because, knowing how everything would play out, I got to see the full story without trying to anticipate what was coming next.
I tried to go as light on spoilers as I can because I urge every single person reading this to go find and watch the movie. It’s available on Netflix streaming, but if you don’t have Netflix, find another way. Happy watching!
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I was planning on doing random reviews during the hiatus, but honestly, I REALLY enjoyed reviewing something that meant so much to me, and more specifically, meant so much to my writing. So I think that I’m gonna keep that theme going. I don’t know when it’ll be up, but my next review is gonna be … well… interesting.
Truly a great film. And guess what? Your story is what led me to it.
Same. Me and my friend spent many a night with me reading fics aloud and him playing vidya. We both absolutely adore Exit Through Canterlot... and I've considered writing something for ETC, if permission could be gotten.
Gift Shop is my all time favorite documentary. Is one of those "I could/want to do that" kind of watch. You get so absorbed into the world that you never want it to end.
And I see that hint. Neato.
I love ETC, one of my all time favs.
Now I have to and watch this docu/movie thing.
Oh god the hint my emotions cannot handle this.