Velvet Buzzsaw is a satire that explores the vicious world of art in Los Angeles, California. Morf Vendewalt (Jake Gyllenhaal) is, to many, the god of art in the Los Angeles area. He understands the ins and outs of the business and is willing to do whatever he has to in order to get ahead. The world of art is far more treacherous than those on the outside could ever imagine; Velvet Buzzsaw is a journey through the veritable rabbit hole of art and all of its pieces.
Gyllenhaal immediately looks out of place (mostly because of his haircut), and while that might worry some people, it’s great for Velvet Buzzsaw. It causes viewers to be unsure of what is to happen next and allows them to open their minds to whatever director Dan Gilroy has in store. This is fortunate for Gilroy, as the film, in its entirety, is a hodgepodge of fuckery and nonsense that relentlessly attacks viewers. Films with twists and turns that keep the viewer guessing are often some of the most well-received, however, the puzzle must eventually be pieced together to make some semblance of sense or the viewer struggles to appreciate the film as a whole. Velvet Buzzsaw feels like a film that tries too hard and, as a result, fails more miserably than anyone could have imagined (in terms of story that is).
There’s a clear attempt to make Velvet Buzzsaw sophisticated, and in the hardfought attempt, it seems that attention to detail and reality are left behind. Sure, exaggeration is essential to any good satire, but this is a world that most wouldn’t understand (and I’m one of those people). Gilroy attempts to tackle a subject so obscure that it leaves him with an audience so incredibly small that the success of his film seems unlikely. Not to toot my own horn, but I feel like I have a basic understanding of many topics, providing me the ability to break down films and comprehend, on some level, the subject being covered. Velvet Buzzsaw completely escapes me, and I struggle to understand the importance that Gilroy and the rest of the cast and crew are attempting to convey with this satire.
There comes a point while watching a film that fails to entertain when the viewer begins not to care. While Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo (Rhodora Haze), and the rest of the cast are phenomenal in their performances, their abilities aren’t enough to save the dilapidated story and attempted satire. Meaning, no matter how hard the cast and crew tried, viewers give up on this film and begin not to care about how everything plays out. At this moment (which may be different for each viewer) Velvet Buzzsaw begins to lose meaning and serve little purpose in the competitive world of Hollywood.
Gyllenhall is brilliant and never misses a beat, but what he’s trying to convey is sometimes unclear, and therefore, unappealing to the audience. Velvet Buzzsaw struggles to ever get off the ground, and viewers are quickly turned off to the nonsensical story that presents itself to them. Nonsense can sometimes be a means to entertainment, but when the story means nothing to those watching, it becomes difficult for that nonsense to truly mean anything. The understanding is that art consumes those who dedicate their lives to it, but those who live outside of that world struggle to appreciate what is being said and done. Aside from the talent present from each of the actors, Velvet Buzzsaw is a dud.
Written & Directed by Dan Gilroy. Starring Jake Gyllenhall, Rene Russo, Zawe Ashtonn, Tom Sturridge, Toni Collette, Natalia Dyer, Daveed Diggs, John Malkovich, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐½/10
