I saw the graffiti artist during the Berlin Film Festival ´04 next to a plenty of other movies but this one staid on my mind. Like only few movies it really made me think, and this is probably the biggest compliment you can make. Don´t think this only a movie for people that like graffiti, although I loved the graffiti aspect as it shows it the way it deserves, as a real art form. This alone is a reason to see it, but the movie goes deeper, it dares to ask questions, questions that are valid to everybody, questions that should be asked more often. The movie gives you a rare seen undistorted image of an anonymous society and the need and importance for an individual to express itself. In this way Nick represents all our hopes and fears. On the one hand he does what everybody wants, he does what he loves without compromises, but on the other hand he has to pay an enormous price for it. He shows that a self-determined life is possible and refuses to adapt to common structures consistently, but therefore he is confronted in the hardest way with the coldness that marks our society so strong and that we fear so much. Maybe this movie tells the story of a teenager, but above all it deals with general problems, and I was fascinated of the intensity that is created. This I think depends on another big strength of the movie, the fact that it never looks down on his protagonists but treats them with the necessary respect all the time. Therefore go and look out for this movie, I promise you won´t regret. I also have to say I really enjoyed the fact that the movie was filmed with digital cameras. It really improved it and in addition to the great acting of the young protagonists it creates an extremely true, personal picture, never looking cheap. A absolute highlight!
Review of The Graffiti Artist
