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A true portrait of life and art.
In August of 1949, Life Magazine ran a banner headline that begged the question: "Jackson Pollock: Is he the greatest living painter in the United States?" The film is a look back into the life of an extraordinary man, a man who has fittingly been called "an artist dedicated to concealment, a celebrity who nobody knew." As he struggled with self-doubt, engaging in a lonely tug-of-war between needing to express himself and wanting to shut the world out, Pollock began a downward spiral.
Wuchak
Dec 22, 2020 · via TMDB
_**Downer biography starts weak, but becomes, um, artistic… and moving**_ Abstract expressionist Jackson Pollock (Ed Harris) is a struggling artist in New York City in the early 40s when he meets his future wife Lee Krasner, a fellow artist (Marcia Gay Harden). They move to the far end of Long Island where he finally catches a break, but alcoholism threatens his life. Jennifer Connelly shows up in the last act. “Pollock” (2000) is an honest biography covering the final fifteen years of the artist’s life from 1941-1956. It was a long-term passion for director/star Ed Harris to bring to the screen. The film starts weak with Pollock being portrayed as a troubled artistic weirdo. While I have no doubt that this is true-to-life, the opening act fails to capture the attention of the viewer. What’s worse, there’s an unintentionally amusing scene reminiscent of the Seinfeld episode "The Visa" where Jerry pretends to be morose and disturbed, which unexpectedly turns on George’s Asian girlfriend. This “meh” opening is probably why the film failed at the box office. Thankfully, the story perks up when the couple moves to a remote area on Long Island. At one point a journalist asks Pollock how he knows when he’s finished with a painting. He insightfully responds, “How do you know when you're finished making love?” This showed that Jackson loved his work and equated creating art to making love. He was a troubled soul, very much so, but painting was his escape, his bliss. It was Pollock’s area of genius and, indeed, his peculiar art is stunning and somehow aesthetically pleasing. I was so moved I wept. Unfortunately, alcohol was his downfall. If you don’t mind downer biographies of artists, like “The Doors” (1991) and “Big Sur” (2013), check this one out. There are inspiring moments amidst the melancholy. The movie runs 2 hours, 2 minutes and was shot in New York City and East Hampton, Long Island. ADDITIONAL CAST: Jeffrey Tambor, Bud Cork, Val Kilmer and John Heard. GRADE: B
User reviews courtesy of TMDB.
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Amazon Video
Apple TV Store
Google Play Movies
YouTube
Fandango At Home
Ed Harris
Jackson Pollock
Marcia Gay Harden
Lee Krasner
Tom Bower
Dan Miller
Jennifer Connelly
Ruth Kligman
Bud Cort
Howard Putzel
John Heard
Tony Smith
Val Kilmer
Willem DeKooning
David Leary
Charles Pollock
Robert Knott
Sande Pollock
Stephanie Seymour
Helen Frankenthaler
Sada Thompson
Stella Pollock
Eulala Scheel
Arloie's Baby
Matthew Sussman
Reuben Kadish
Amy Madigan
Peggy Guggenheim
Everett Quinton
James Johnson Sweeney
Annabelle Gurwitch
May Rosenberg
John Rothman
Harold Rosenberg
Jeffrey Tambor
Clem Greenberg
Sloane Shelton
Dot Miller
Jennifer Piech
Young Redhead
Rebecca Wisocky
Dorothy Seiberling
Linda Emond
Martha Holmes
Barbara Garrick
Betty Parsons
David Cale
William Wright
Claire Beckman
Vita Peterson
Stephen Beach
Jay Pollock
Donna Mitchell
Elizabeth Pollock
Sondra Jablonski
Jeremy Pollock
Frank Wood
Frank Pollock
Norbert Weisser
Hans Namuth
Sally Murphy
Edith Metzger
Kathy Ciric
Location Scout
Mark Friedberg
Production Design
Lisa Rinzler
Director of Photography
Stephanie Finochio
Stunts
Agnieszka Holland
Thanks
Ed Harris
Director
Todd M. Thaler
Casting
Ed Harris
Producer
Fred Berner
Producer
Jon Kilik
Producer
Jeff Beal
Original Music Composer
Barbara Turner
Screenplay
Les Anneaux de Bicêtre
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The Aviator
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The Diary of Anne Frank
El Norte
High Fidelity
Ariel
8 Seconds
Born on the Fourth of July
Between Friends
Casey Stengel
Monsieur Batignole
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The Italian
Lane 1974
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American Heart
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Raging Bull
Selena
The Danish Girl
Nocturnal Animals
Rocketman
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The Doors
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The Eyes of Tammy Faye
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Valentino
Sep 6, 2000
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The Stranglers - Live '78, SF
1978
Saddle Leather Law
1944
Sign in to vote
Battle your watched movies head-to-head
Community Top Movies
Evil Dead II
1987 · 14 wins
The Dark Knight
2008 · 14 wins
Halloween
1978 · 13 wins
Final Destination
2000 · 12 wins
Halloween II
1981 · 11 wins
Trivia
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Movie Trivia
Guess the movie from a clue — tagline, plot, cast and more. Pick from four posters.
What movie experience do you prefer?
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