“Exit Through the Gift Shop” is either the most brilliant documentary I’ve seen in decades or the most elaborate prank ever pulled on the art world. Either way, I’m reluctantly impressed.

This so-called “documentary” follows Thierry Guetta, a twitchy Frenchman with all the artistic talent of my left shoe, who obsessively films street artists like some kind of caffeinated stalker. Eventually, he meets the elusive Banksy – you know, that British vandal who somehow convinced the world that spray painting rats on walls is worth millions.

The first half shows Thierry following these “artists” around while they deface public property. Back in my day, we called that “criminal mischief,” not “artistic expression.” These kids today with their hoodies and stencils think they’re revolutionaries because they can draw a monkey with a sign. Real brave, fellas.

The whole thing feels a bit… aimless at first, like watching someone’s overly long home movies. And this Guetta fella? He’s like a hyperactive squirrel with a video camera. Honestly, I was half-expecting him to start chattering about acorns at any moment.

But here’s where it gets interesting – Banksy tells Thierry to make a documentary, realizes the man couldn’t edit his way out of a paper bag, then flips the script and makes Thierry the subject instead.

Banksy, the famous (and famously anonymous) street artist, gets involved. And suddenly, the documentary about street art becomes a documentary about Guetta trying to become a street artist himself, under the moniker “Mr. Brainwash.” Mr. Brainwash! The name alone sounds like something a toddler would come up with after watching too much Saturday morning television. And his art? Well, let’s just say it looks like someone threw a bunch of pop culture icons into a blender and then slapped the results onto a canvas. The youngsters probably eat this stuff up, with their short attention spans and love for anything loud and flashy. Me? I prefer a nice landscape painting, something with a bit of peace and quiet.

Watching this Frenchman transform into “Mr. Brainwash” and suddenly become an overnight art sensation is like watching my grandson become famous for his macaroni art. It’s absurd, infuriating, and somehow fascinating.

The whole thing exposes the art world for what it really is – a bunch of pretentious lemmings willing to throw money at anything if the right person tells them it’s “important.” When Mr. Brainwash’s derivative, slapdash exhibition sells nearly a million dollars worth of art, I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

Is this a genuine look into the street art world, or is Banksy pulling some elaborate prank on all of us? Honestly, by the end of it, I couldn’t tell you. And frankly, I’m not sure I even care. It’s like one of those magic shows where you know you’re being fooled, but you don’t know how, and after a while, you just want the rabbit to disappear already.

Guetta is a fascinating train wreck, and Banksy’s involvement adds a layer of intrigue, even if it feels manipulative. The music throughout is… well, it’s there. Mostly upbeat, trying to inject some energy into what is essentially a rather shambolic affair.

I’ll give Banksy credit – the man knows how to tell a story, even if he’s probably manipulating the whole thing. Is Thierry real? Is Mr. Brainwash a Banksy creation? Is this whole film just an elaborate middle finger to the art establishment? I don’t know, and maybe that’s the point.

Rating: 3.5/5 – A maddening, brilliant con job that made me question everything I know about art. I hate that I kind of liked it, but there it is. Now get these kids off my lawn before they stencil something “meaningful” on my garage door.

ABOUT THE CRITIC

Ben Dover’s brief foray into the art world ended in 1973 when his exhibition titled “Paintings That Actually Look Like Something” was panned by critics as “embarrassingly representational.” Since then, he’s harbored a particular disdain for modern art, frequently describing installations as “things my grandkid could make if I gave him enough sugar and a glue gun.” Dover once stood in front of a blank white canvas at MoMA for three hours, convinced it was an emergency exit and not a million-dollar masterpiece. He maintains that the most artistic thing in any modern museum is the architecture of the gift shop, which he claims to visit only “to confirm that they’re still selling overpriced nonsense to gullible hipsters.” His proudest moment was being asked to leave a Damien Hirst exhibition for laughing too loudly at a pickled shark.

Stars

This “documentary” (and I’m still using those quotation marks) doesn’t really have traditional “stars.”

• Thierry Guetta: This French fellow is the main focus, the amateur filmmaker turned unlikely art sensation. He’s a whirlwind of chaotic energy, constantly filming and seemingly stumbling his way through the art world.
• Banksy: The elusive and anonymous street artist plays a significant role, albeit from behind the scenes. His influence shapes the entire narrative, and his identity remains a mystery, which is probably the most interesting artistic statement of his whole career.
• Numerous other street artists make appearances, offering glimpses into their work and perspectives.

Special Effects

As mentioned earlier, there aren’t really any traditional special effects. The film relies on the visual impact of the street art itself and the often chaotic energy captured by Guetta’s camera.

Music

The soundtrack features a variety of upbeat and contemporary music, which attempts to mirror the energy and rebellious spirit of the street art scene. It’s mostly forgettable, but it serves its purpose of keeping the pace moving.

Synopsis

“Exit Through the Gift Shop” begins as an amateur documentary by Thierry Guetta, a French shopkeeper living in Los Angeles with an obsessive habit of filming everything around him. He becomes fascinated by the world of street art and dedicates himself to capturing the work of various artists, eventually focusing on the renowned and secretive Banksy. Guetta follows Banksy and other street artists on their nocturnal escapades, amassing a vast archive of footage.

Eventually, Banksy suggests that Guetta should make a film with his footage. However, the resulting documentary, pieced together by Guetta, is deemed unwatchable. In a surprising turn of events, Banksy flips the script and encourages Guetta to try his hand at creating his own street art show. Under the moniker “Mr. Brainwash,” Guetta, with Banksy’s somewhat dubious guidance and promotion, stages a massive and commercially successful art exhibition in Los Angeles. The film then explores the questions of authenticity, artistic merit, and the nature of hype within the art world, leaving the audience to ponder whether Mr. Brainwash is a genuine artistic phenomenon or an elaborate prank orchestrated by Banksy.

Famous Quotes

1. Banksy (voiceover): “I used to encourage everyone I knew to make art; I don’t do that so much anymore.” (A rare moment of what might be considered wisdom.)
2. Thierry Guetta: “Everything I film is art.” (Bless his delusional heart.)
3. Shepard Fairey: “He’s documenting something that’s never been documented.” (Before it all went completely off the rails.)
4. Banksy (voiceover): “Maybe it means art doesn’t matter very much.” (Now he’s just being philosophical and annoying.)
5. Thierry Guetta (on his art): “It’s a little bit of everything.” (You can say that again. Mostly a little bit of nonsense.)

Notes from the Movie

1. Thierry Guetta reportedly amassed hundreds of hours of footage of various street artists before Banksy suggested he make a film.
2. The identity of Banksy remains unconfirmed, and his face is never shown in the film.
3. Mr. Brainwash’s art exhibition was a genuine commercial success, selling many pieces for significant sums of money.
4. Some critics and viewers have speculated that Mr. Brainwash is a creation of Banksy himself, a commentary on the commercialization of street art.
5. The film blurs the lines between documentary and mockumentary, leaving the audience to question the authenticity of the events depicted.

Trailer