PARANOID PARK
US, 2007, 84 minutes, Colour.
Gabe Levins.
Directed by Gus Van Sant.
Gus Van Sant has been making smaller, more 'cinematic' films in recent years, after his Golden Palm win in Cannes with Elephant (Gerry, Last Days). Here he is back in school, this time amongst a group of skateboarders. At a railway yard near a popular park, nicknamed Paranoid Park because it had an unsavoury reputation, a security guard has been killed on the adjoining railway tracks. Has one of the skateboarders been responsible? The police come to the school to question and get background for their investigation.
Van Sant focuses on teenager, Alex (Gabe Levins), who we discover is writing a story about the park and skating. It emerges early enough in the film that Alex is responsible. What Van Sant does well is re-create the world of the adolescent, broken family and almost absent parents, friends, sexual experimentation (all with a soundtrack of relevant songs and Nino Rota/Fellini score, and with Christopher Doyle's realistic and stylised camerawork).
What we see is an ordinary young boy who is completely self-absorbed, has no sense of compassion for the victim, never thinking about him and with little conscience. This makes the film arresting to look at and listen to and very disturbing about contemporary moral sense.
1.The work of Gus Van Sant, small films, the importance of visual styles, sounds and music, the contemporary world, adults and adolescents? Characters and issues?
2.The adaptation of a novel, the Oregon setting, Portland, the city and homes, school, the malls, parks? The American story? Universal interest?
3.The blend of realism and visual styles? Stylised camerawork? The special scenes, for example the close-up of Alex’s face and long contemplation in the shower, Jennifer and Alex breaking off with her, the audience not hearing what she was saying but seeing her speak ...?
4.The structure, the title, skateboards, the scenes of skateboarding? Alex and his writing, the emergence of the truth, dealing with the truth, protecting himself?
5.Paranoid Park as a location, for skateboarders, its reputation, dangerous, the adolescents going there, the thrills and the risks? The police commenting on it? It adjoining the railway yards? Audience in the railway yards?
6.The character of Alex, his age, the audience barely seeing his mother, in long shot? His absent father, discussion with his father at the end? His father trying to do the right thing in the separation? The glimpses of his uncle? His way of life, separated family, going to school, the scenes of classes, laboratories? His range of friends, skateboarding, the meals? Jennifer and the relationship, the sexual experimentation – her advances, telling all her friends about it? His friendship with Macy, her sensing something of the truth, her urging him to write it down, to tell someone? His friendship with Jared, their sharing the experience? The group?
7.The role of the police, the officer, the interview in the headmaster’s room, Alex and his innocence? The officer explaining Paranoid Park, the situation? His coming to visit the school, the group, showing them the photos, their reactions, even laughing? The audience knowing by this time the truth? Alex’s reaction?
8.The glimpse of the mother, her trusting her son, not worrying about him? His father, the separation, going off, wanting the best possible deal, finding his wife difficult?
9.The kids themselves, their age, at school, courses, skateboarding, writing, friendships, sexual relationships and talk?
10.Alex and the reality, the visualising of the incident? The man and his attacking the boys, their daring? Pushing him back, the train, his being cut in half, pursuing Alex?
11.Alex and his reaction, throwing the board away, the clothes, having the shower, contemplation, not telling anyone, the relationship with Jennifer, then breaking it off? Self-absorbed, not trusting adults, not showing any interest in the man who had died? His lies to his parents?
12.His worry, writing, burning the manuscript, not letting Macy see it?
13.The ambiguities in the world of the teenager, the amoral world, the lack of moral compass, the inconclusive ending – open to what possibilities there were for Alex to deal with the situation and himself?
