'Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child' Is An Enjoyable And Intimate Love Letter To Jean-Michel And The 1980s NY Art Scene

When Jean-Michel Basquiat made a splash on the 1980s art scene, he quickly went from a nobody to selling pieces for thousands to bourgeois art collectors, then to falling out of public favor to his untimely death at age 27. His brief, but fascinating story is ripe material for a film.

The first attempt, “Basquiat,” by fellow artist and friend Julian Schnabel was a narrative featuring the likes of David Bowie and the late Dennis Hopper. That film quietly came and went, barely doing justice to the man and suffering from the cliched beats that typically plague biopics. But now, years later, Tamra Davis, another friend of Jean-Michel, has decided to take on his life in the form of a documentary time-capsule, featuring a candid interview with the artist shortly before the time of his death, that remained in her closet for over 20 years. The director combines this with various stills, interviews with friends (such as Schnabel, musician Thurston Moore, etc.), and random footage of the artist at events and TV shows. These types of documentaries are in just as much danger as the biopics- they can become repetitive, overly formulaic, and act too much like a “Greatest Hits” of whoever the film’s about, but this one doesn’t fall into that trap (though, honestly, it might be because of his short life). Surprisingly, “Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child” remains fresh for its entire 90 minute duration, though it is a bit uneven.

The start is strong: we are taken through the New York art scene in the 1980s, and it’s absolutely invigorating. While following the budding artist, Tamra takes us through Downtown New York and paints a picture that is both informative and extremely lovable. This segment is so strong that it gets a little distracting, but the filmmaker is smart enough to weave Basquiat in and out of the history lesson, we never forget what the real focus is and he’s just as intriguing as his environment. Jean-Michel starts off his career with a friend as they run around lower Manhattan tagging buildings with poetic one liners, signing each one “SAMO.” These pessimistic and almost eerie tags begin to draw attention, and before he knows it, Jean-Michel is thrust into the spotlight and starts a band, stars in a film, and begins his famed artwork.

As the focus on Basquiat greatens and he starts to stand out from the crowd, gone is the wonderful overview of the 1980s art culture. The film still works without it, but it never regains its momentum and strength. Thankfully, Jean-Michel is incredibly interesting, from footage of him painting on everything (including doors, windows, etc.) to the candid, personal interview in which we see the man apart from his work. This interview is another true gem, and as enjoyable as the entire film is, there’s always a craving for it to return to this place, to see more of the man separated from his fame, someone who was really very modest and soft spoken. Its completely honest, a perfect interview piece and without a doubt the heart of the film. Maybe its not as engrossing as the beginning of the film, but boy is it intimate.

It continues on, detailing his friendship and collaborations with Andy Warhol, his romantic relationships, his parents, and his final days as a drug abuser. Davis manages to avoid a melodramatic ending, instead focusing more on all of the work he left behind, done in such a short time. It’s not a tearjerker, it’s not a tragedy, it’s a celebration of his career and his person. The wonderful thing is, whether you’re impressed by his work or not (some of it is a tad one-note, but a good deal of his paintings are very stunning), there’s still a lot to like about this film and a lot to like about him. It’s also rather impressive how smart this documentary is, it could’ve easily been very openly formulaic. While, given its subject, it still would be worth watching, it’s nice to see Davis avoid certain pitfalls, and prove that she’s a very capable director, regardless of her resume suggesting otherwise (she’s responsible for junior-high favorite “Billy Madison” and the Britney Spears stinker “Crossroads”). “Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child” is a great watch for anybody who’s remotely interested in the artist or the New York art scene of the 1980s, and it serves as a great, brief history lesson for those unaware of who this man was and what he was responsible for. [B+]