Howl at Coral Gables Art Cinema Friday, October 22

As suggested by its title, Allen Ginsberg's game-changing poem "Howl" is essentially performative — and so is Howl, the Sundance-opening quasi-biographical movie by Oscar-winning documentarians Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman. Howl the movie — which, in addition to touching on Ginsberg's early life (and successful coming-out), dramatizes the poem's obscenity trial, the talk of San Francisco in late 1957 — is broadly played by a number of name actors: David Strathairn (baffled prosecuting attorney), Jon Hamm (cool defense attorney), Bob Balaban (Solomonic judge), Jeff Daniels (laughable expert witness for the prosecution), Mary-Louise Parker (ditto), and Treat Williams (professorial defense witness Mark Schorer). Most compelling by far is James Franco as Ginsberg, successfully nailing the poet's incantatory style, even while providing that voice with a movie star's glamorous vessel. Splendid as Franco's literal characterization and overheated line readings can be, art director Eric Drooker's literal-minded animated interpretation of "Howl" (haunted vortex of lonely crowd alienation, "What now, little man?" monochromatic fascist madness) are as sodden as a cold latke — as well as a distraction. (I kept wondering how a neo-beatnik like R. Crumb would have illustrated Ginsberg's epochal spritz.) Basically, Epstein and Friedman are feel-good filmmakers — their Ginsberg has one of the shortest, most successful bouts of psychotherapy in history. But is it really necessary to affirm the poem's ecstatic footnote ("Holy! Holy! Holy!") with a montage of smiling reaction shots?

James Franco as Allen Ginsberg in Howl.

Location Info

Map

Coral Gables Art Cinema

260 Aragon Ave.
Coral Gables, FL 33134

Category: Movie Theaters

Region: Coral Gables/South Miami

Photos

1 user reviews	Write A Review
Save to foursquare	0

Details

Friday, October 22, at the Coral Gables Art Cinema, 260 Aragon Ave., Coral Gables; 786-385-9689. Starring James Franco, John Hamm, Mary-Louise Parker, David Strathairn, Bob Balaban, and Jeff Daniels. Directed and written by Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman. 90 minutes. Not rated.

Related Content

• Franco Freakout
  October 21, 2010
• Franco Freakout
  October 21, 2010
• Franco Freakout
  October 21, 2010
• Stoned Cinema
  April 19, 2012
• Five Other Famous Body Parts That Deserve Twitter Accounts
  February 28, 2012

More About

• Howl (Movie)
• Allen Ginsberg
• Rob Epstein
• Movie Stars
• Celebrity News

Like this Story?

Sign up for the Events Newsletter: What's happening in town? From underground club nights to the biggest outdoor festivals, our top picks for the week's best events will always keep you in on the action.

Privacy Policy Cancel Continue

SeeHowl this Friday at Coral Gables Art Cinema.