Gerry (2002) / Elephant (2003) / Last Days (2005)

#7. Gerry (2002) / Elephant (2003) / Last Days (2005)

(director: Gus Van Sant; starring (Gerry) Matt Damon and Casey Affleck; (Elephant) Alex Frost, Eric Deulen and John Robinson; (Last Days) Michael Pitt, Lukas Haas and Asia Argento)

Two twenty-somethings both named Gerry go for a short hike in the desert to see what is only obliquely referred to as “the thing”. They lose interest and decide to amble on back to the car while enjoying the desert scenery. They get lost. They walk around in different directions for several days. They do not find the road. They continue walking. They only become more lost. A six-minute tracking shot follows them as they walk side-by-side in silence, their footsteps falling into and then out of sync, and back again several times. Eventually a resolution to their predicament is reached and the movie is over. Sound like a fun movie to watch? Then go rent Gus Van Sant’s 2002 movie Gerry, starring Matt Damon, Casey Affleck, A Whole Lot Of Sand and Not Much Else. Some describe the experience as akin to looking at a blank canvas and asking what the intent of the artist is. While Gerry is bare-bones, careful attention paid will reveal it is far from simply blank, but a strong will and patience is recommended before sitting down. Gus Van Sant followed up with an impromptu trilogy, each sharing broad underlying thematic strokes only. Elephant is a bit more accessible, following an ensemble class of real high school students throughout a day of school; different storylines meet, some are jocks and cheerleaders, some are loners, some are free-spirited and some just have a hard time getting through the day. Everyone that sees the movie fixates on the final fifteen minutes or so of film, which are a bit more eventful than the proceedings, but I think the mundane, day-to-day living of these students is what’s most important. Elephant simply shows how different people respond to life in high school, and some cope with it better than others. The third film is Last Days, which follows a Kurt Cobain-like character through his last days before his eventual suicide. The actual ‘event’ is markedly unremarkable, the film more about the minutiae of little details, rich material for introspective, observant sorts but terrible if you’re looking to be entertained. I personally found each of these to be some of the most rewarding films I’ve seen in a while, but then again I’m a pompous little shit, aren’t I, and what do I know?