I was struck by a rather humbling revelation while watching Double Play: James Benning and Richard Linklater, a pleasantly humbling one. As Gabe Klinger uses fragments of films from these two American indie mavericks, and as their conversation turns to specific projects of their own, I thought how cryptic this must be to those unfamiliar with each director's cinematic output. And then I realised that I am, to an extent, such a person, since my familiarity with either James Benning's filmography or Richard Linklater's is nowhere near as thorough as it ought to be. And the film is, thankfully, entirely comprehensible even to me. It is the piercing intellect of their duologue, and the keenness of Klinger's desire to report on it that induces a sense of acquaintance with the artistic history of both Benning and Linklater. That's a desire which comes to reflect our own. Never mind the charming rapport these two laidback men have with one another, what's most engaging about Double Play is how we are afforded an opportunity to hear filmmakers discuss their own works as we might interpret them. They admit to reactions and offer up analyses as any cinephile would upon seeing their films, detailing not only their production but their lasting impact, and also depicting a human friendship that's almost as enduring as their respective relationships with film. Alas, this trifle of a documentary may be rich in content of enormous interest to fans of either Benning or Linklater, but its brevity, seemingly inevitable due to the shortness of their meeting, enhances its triviality, and mars Double Play's potential for lasting impact itself, independent of the canons of its two subjects. Nevertheless, it's an incisive and agreeable film from any perspective, and undoubtedly of much value to many film enthusiasts around the world.
No comments:
Post a Comment