My Kid Could Paint That
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: My Kid Could Paint ThatBrand: Sony
DVD: Region Code 99
Audio: English (Original Language); Chinese (Subtitled); English (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled)
Format: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.77:1
Running Time: 83 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2008-03-04
Audience Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Sony Pictures
Movie Reviews of My Kid Could Paint That
Movie Review: As Objective As It Gets.
Summary: 5 Stars
Amir Bar-Lev deserves praise just for the level of objectivity he maintains in this documentary. Given how dramatically events unfolded over the course of his time with the Olmstead family, it would have been extremely easy for him to portray various subjects as heroes or villains (or dolts) with some deliberate editing, to sensational effect.
Instead he leaves things messy and allows what I think is probably a relatively accurate picture to emerge, and trusts the viewers to discern for themselves the implications for art in general, artists, and art collectors/investors. That struck me as a brave decision.
I personally enjoyed the film as an expos? of the more preposterous aspects of abstract art as a genre. It's not as if the appeal of such work completely eludes me, but the reality is that the difference between absurdity and brilliance is entirely arbitrary, particularly in an environment where artists (of any age) are no longer expected to master the basics before proceeding to the abstraction.
Summary of My Kid Could Paint That
Suitable for framing, Amir Bar-Lev's "family human interest story" indelibly captures the media maelstrom that engulfed the Olmsteads of Binghamton, N.Y. when their daughter, Marla, age 4, became the darling of the art world with her abstract paintings. As a gallery owner tells Bar-Lev, the situation is "perfect": The family is charismatic, and Marla is, indeed, "a doll" and her paintings, "unbelievable." More on that later. Bar-Lev chronicles how a community newspaper article about Marla was picked up by the New York Times, leading to more newspaper articles, sold out gallery showings, and media throngs. Marla's paintings sold upward of $25,000 (the owner of the Houston Rockets bought one), and talk-show hosts (Conan, Dave, Oprah) wanted Marla on their shows. "You're in for a wild ride, I hope you're prepared for this," the gallery owner says he told Mark Olmstead, Marla's father, a Frito Lay factory worker who also dabbles as an artist. But no one is prepared when Charlie Rose, during a 60 Minutes Wednesday broadcast, raises questions on whether Marla is the sole artist. Was she coached? Were the paintings doctored, or even painted by someone else? Could she even be called a prodigy? Bar-Lev's canvas expands to consider the nature of art and media culture. It also becomes something of a self-portrait as he struggles with his own growing suspicions about Marla's paintings after he has befriended the family and earned their trust. My Kid Could Paint That is not a masterpiece, but it will resonate especially for everyone who says they don't know art, but they know what they like. It would be an excellent companion to Who the #%&% is Jackson Pollock? --Donald LiebensonStills from My Kid Could Paint That (click for larger image)
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