By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 2 cats
Director: Gus Van Zant
Starring: Asia Argento | Lukas Haas | Michael Pitt | Nicole Vicius | Ricky Jay | Scott Patrick Green
Country: united_states
Year: 2005
Running time: 97
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0403217/combined
Bruce says: “What worked so well in Gus Van Sant’s ELEPHANT – the revisiting of scenes and events until the viewer had total familiarity with the film’s terrain and understanding of the motivation of the main characters – does not work at all in LAST DAYS, a pondering of how Kurt Cobain’s final days might have played out. Wandering around a beautiful albeit neglected wooded estate, Blake, the Cobain surrogate, mumbles more or less incoherently as he bathes in a stream and runs from the main house to avoid human contact. Blake is probably in a combined psychotic and drug induced state although the details are not made certain. Michael Pitt is definitely a Cobain look alike and his wardrobe of grunge and a black eyelet slip look authentic.
“Several friends, a yellow page salesman, two Latter-day Saint elders, and two detectives hired by a woman named Blackie (Courtney Love, no doubt) interrupt Blake’s attempt to be alone. He nods out while the yellow page man is talking. He is incapable of talking on the telephone. Many of the scenes are repeated giving the viewer slightly more information and a few degrees more perspective; however, none of what is added in these reruns is valuable. The film’s style is a poor match for its content.
“Van Sant captures the atmosphere of Blake’s physical world but gives the viewer no clues about Blake’s inner turmoil. Everyone
in Blake’s world realizes he is unraveling but no one seems overly concerned about saving him. Is this because Blake has cried wolf too many times? Or is this the first time he has unraveled to such a degree?
“At the end Blake kills himself in a small cottage a few yards away from the main house. Had Van Sant placed the final scenes at the beginning of the film the impact would have been no different. This film’s journey is a waste of time in spite of lovely cinematography and Van Sant’s marvelous attention to physical details. 2 cats”