Exit Through the Gift Shop

I just got back from seeing one of the best films I've seen in a long time.  It's a documentary made by Banksy (probably the most famous street artist out there) about street artists, and particularly about the guy who first set out to film them, but then ultimately tried to become one himself.  It's an interesting look into the street art movement, but it is also so much more than that.  In fact, the film doesn't really even try to tell the story of street art.  That world really only serves as the backdrop for the story of this one guy.  But his story also, in a way, tells the story of street art, if only by showing what it isn't.  I'm probably making it out to be much more confusing than it really is.  It's really a very simple film and yet it manages to not only tell a great story about a ridiculous but lovable man, but it also introduce the world and philosophy of street art, and also serves up a poignant commentary on the state of art in our world.  It's pretty much exactly what you would expect out of Banksy: layers of meaning delivered in a simple, humorous way.  And what's more, it's totally clean and innocent (just 2-3 scattered F-words giving it an R rating).  It leaves you laughing and thinking long after the credits roll.



Here's an extended look at the film: