Abstract art is a mindless argument. What appeals to one person may not appeal to another, and who is to say what is great and what isn't? That simple question is what lies at the core of (Untitled), a film that breaks down the art world as we see a struggling musician attempt to understand the lack of passion and understanding involved in mainstream artistry. Sadly, in this quest, our lead protagonist, played by Adam Goldberg, sits back and watches as a theater full of anxious movie watchers begins to dwindle in size as many choose to venture off to the restroom, never to be seen or heard from again.
So, what went wrong here? To be quite honest, I am not entirely sure. The story, though intriguing, was horrific in its progression. Character development was hardly ever touched upon, relationships brewed for no apparent reason, and jokes seemed to be forced instead of created.
Now I understand that when a film's lead character is attempting to break down the norm in terms of mainstream music, I am going to have to sit through some pretty weird, what I call, 'noise.' But when that 'noise' becomes a constant presence in the film, it quickly goes from funny to annoying. Paper wading, bucket kicking and piano banging is not music to anyone's ears. Sadly, that is what I was forced to sit through for some 15 or 20 minutes of the movie. It was as if I was playing a skipping CD with no option to turn it off.
Adam Goldberg and Marley Shelton share no chemistry with one another, and their character's interactions come across as forced. When separated, both carried the film (for what that's worth); however, when they joined together on-screen, the film took a nose dive into the deep, dark abyss. I can't quite put my finger on why exactly it did not work, but their push and tug relationship was more nauseating than appealing, making me cringe with each conversation.
On top of that, the film is rarely funny, capitalizing on awkward situations and exaggerated characters to accomplish even the slightest snicker from the most whimsical viewers. Their desperate attempts to make me laugh were more repulsive than cute, proving to be but one mere distraction that I somewhat welcomed compared to the other 'things' that were occupying the screen.
Last year, about this time, I opted to sit in on a showing of Ashes of Time: Redux, easily the worst and most ridiculous film of 2008. It was the longest hour and a half of my life as the second hand of my watch stalled with nearly every click. It was a horrible feeling at the time, and one I had thankfully forgotten until witnessing the chaotic mess that is (Untitled). It is with great displeasure that I make this comparison, and I do not blame the actors for such a sturdy misfire. However, there is no escaping the fact that this film wasn't just bad, but horrific in nearly every degree of the word.
