On P List of Movie Reviews

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Pollock (2000)

Rate: 9
Viewed: 7/15

7/15: If there's a role that Ed Harris was born to play, it's Jackson Pollock.

I'm surprised he didn't win the Oscar. Instead, it went to Marcia Gay Harden for what's an average performance. Pollock is a biopic of a great American artist named Jackson Pollock who secured his fame as Jack the Dripper. The style only belongs to him. Anyone who tries to emulate it will be flat-out accused of being a fraud.

What makes Ed Harris' performance special is that he became Jackson Pollock and never separated himself. He's always in character and shows depth of the artist during quiet moments. It doesn't matter if Ed Harris is by himself or with others, he steals the scene every time.

Taken from IMDb, here's an interesting piece of trivia that I agree with: "Ed Harris' father bought his son a book about Jackson Pollock simply because he felt Ed bore a strong resemblance to the painter. Ever since then, Ed Harris became fascinated with Pollock's life."

The best part is the sight of his paintings; it's inspiring to watch how they're done. To enhance my knowledge of Jackson Pollock, Ed Harris is smart to show off many of them that are next to each other against the wall around the apartment and the house. Unfortunately, the film isn't deep as I've hoped for. It'll be nice to have more insight into Pollock's life instead of the clichéd portrayal of an artist with a tortured soul.

All in all, Pollock is Ed Harris' magnum opus.

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