I am attempting to write a critical review about this film but am finding myself void of intelligent critique or the ability to articulate my thoughts. Off the cuff … I wanted to like this film. As a huge fan of Gus Van Sant it didn’t seem possible that I would be disappointed but I was. Minimal cinematography, as described in other descriptions and reviews, to me, was overly cryptic. To compare to other mediums of minimalism, whether it be the sculpture of Donald Judd or the paintings of Mark Rothko, there exists a prevalent phenomena of the non-narrative. Paranoid Park contains a narrative but lacks the emotional relevance as incredibly portrayed in another Van Sant film: Last Days – which is entirely pathematic. For me, the greatest example of minimal cinematography is Todd Haynes’ Safe where the narrative lies firmly in visceral movement.

I REALLY wanted to like this film. I very much enjoyed the hand of Van Sant showing throughout this film but beyond his directorial talent, the film fell short for me. There are a few subtle moments of cultural anamnesis based in certain realities including train jumpers, the neo-punks living on the street and tough, secretive and secluded skate parks. Beyond these few intense moments of personal recollection I didn’t take away a substantive piece of work but rather one that will be forgotten.