Beautiful Losers is another Netflix Instant Stream gem that follows a group of loose-knit artists who met during the early 1990’s and ultimately led one of the biggest cultural movements since the early 1970’s.
“The film, which is co-directed by Aaron Rose and Joshua Leonard, is a wonderfully composed love letter to these eccentric, creative rebels. Like its subjects, ten of the most popular artists of the movement, the film is a mess from a distance — but once you really get to know it, get to understand its message and understand how all of its parts come together, you discover its true beauty. It is one of those documentaries that will leave audiences in its wake, yearning for more information, yearning to be part of something special.
From start-to-finish, the film is visually dynamic and beautiful. Mixing archived footage with more updated footage, Rose and Leonard show off this vast, beautiful landscape of art that has captivated followers of the real life Beautiful Losers, the modern-day street culture contemporary artists. They also do a wonderful job of tying the work of their subjects in with their impact on pop culture, showing that some of these “losers” have been part of some very popular mainstream things, like Pepsi Commercials or the signs at Coney Island. It brings even the most average audience-member into the conversation, something that should be an aspiration of any documentary.
In the end, Beautiful Losers is more than a film about art — it is a film about rebelling against the standard, finding your passion and making that your direction in life. No one grows up wanting to be a conceptual artist or a political activist, but some people end up their because of those who are there to support them — thankfully for those who appreciate their work, these Beautiful Losers continue to stick together, even today.”
(excerpt from Film School Rejects)
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As the poster suggests, some of the profiled artists include:
(wrote Kids and Directed Gummo)
Deanna Templeton
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I didn’t know much about Margaret Kilgallen prior to Beautiful Losers, but I found her story to be the most fascinating and well..sad.
“From a distance, it(the line) might look straight but when you get up close you can always see the line waver and I think that’s where the beauty is.”
Initially, the film is a bit tough to get into as its scattered/disjointed, but be patient. It’s worth it. ♥
