My Kid Could Paint That
Reviewer: Lee Griffiths
Issue 103 May 2008
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Art attack.
The Lowdown: Marla Olmstead is a four-year-old artist whose latest abstract painting has sold for thousands of dollars. Amir Bar-Lev’s documentary follows the story of young Marla who became an overnight sensation in 2004, and a subsequent victim of a media witch-hunt when a potent whiff of fraud began to emerge.
Review: Amir Bar-Lev’s documentary begins as one thing and ends up as many. Initially a fascinating probe into a child prodigy, the film is soon revealed to be a reactionary piece to a ‘60 Minutes’ episode that claimed that young Marla was receiving help from her amateur artist father and may not be a knee-high Jackson Pollock after all. The problem is, Bar-Lev starts to uncover evidence against the parents that supports the ‘60 Minutes’ accusation, which soon brings into question his motives as a filmmaker, particularly as he and we as an audience begin to see the cracks in the Olmstead’s story.
Like the abstract paintings featured in the movie, the documentary refuses to provide any concrete answers. The film teases you by teetering on the verge of breaking point, though matters never really turn to high drama. Instead we have a film that simmers with tension throughout, hinting at and implying foul play by way of some candid and compelling interview footage with Marla’s parents.
The special features include a number of deleted scenes, outtakes and Q&As under the ‘My Kid Could Paint That: Back To Binghamton’ banner, which provides about 35-minutes of worthwhile additional footage. As interesting as it is, we would have liked an audio commentary with the director on this one, though the gallery owner and editor hold their own.
An attack on abstract art and the fickle media, a lesson in marketing, a dissection of truth, a tale of abused innocence or all of these things, whatever the result, My Kid Could Paint That is a fascinating watch.
FILM: 8 EXTRAS: 6
DVD Info:
US Certificate: PG-13
Starring: Marla Olmstead, Mark Olmstead, Laura Olmstead
Directed By: Amir Bar-Lev
Distributor: Sony Pictures
Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1
Visuals: 16:9 Anamorphic Widescreen
Running Time: 83 mins
Price: £16.99
Special Features:
Audio Commentary With Gallery Owner Anthony Brunelli And Editor John Walter
‘My Kid Could Paint That: Back To Binghamton’ Featurette
‘Michael Kimmelman On Art’ Featurette
Trailers
Scene Selection
