Watch Untitled

Untitled is a satirical comedy-drama movie released in 2009, directed by Jonathan Parker, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Catherine DiNapoli. The film offers a behind-the-scenes look at the peculiar and often pretentious world of contemporary art. Featuring a talented cast, including Adam Goldberg, Marley Shelton, and Eion Bailey, the film explores the intricacies of art, commerce, romance, and the lengths to which people will go for recognition and success in the art world.

The film follows the journey of Adrian Jacobs (played by Adam Goldberg), a talented yet pompous avant-garde music composer, whose cacophonous works involve household objects, unorthodox instruments, and physical acts that are as much a part of the performance as the sounds they produce. Adrian is a true bohemian; he is intensely serious about his craft and utterly disdainful of the commercial music industry. Offering an unapologetically authentic representation of a musician who is driven by a pure, if somewhat uncompromising, vision of art, Adrian struggles with the desire for critical acclaim while maintaining his artistic integrity.

Enter Madeleine Gray (portrayed by Marley Shelton), an ambitious and alluring art gallery owner with a sharp eye for talent and a sharper sense for marketable art. Madeleine's gallery specializes in cutting-edge work, displaying pieces that often challenge the audience's understanding of what art is or should be. When Adrian and Madeleine's paths cross, there’s an undeniable chemistry, both personally and professionally, and each of them represents what the other desires but lacks.

On the flip side, the film also depicts the contrast between Adrian and his less pretentious and more commercially successful brother, Josh Jacobs (played by Eion Bailey). Josh is a painter whose art tends to be more accessible and pleasing to the general public. His works are the antithesis of Adrian’s music, highlighting a juxtaposition between commercial success and artistic authenticity.

As Adrian becomes intertwined in Madeleine's world, he's exposed to the peculiar ecosystem of the contemporary art scene—a place where hype often trumps talent and where the business side of art can dictate the value and visibility of an artist's work. Throughout the movie, viewers encounter a bevy of eccentric characters, including collectors, critics, and fellow artists, who collectively paint a picture of a community that is as conflicted as it is passionate, obsessed equally with the pursuit of groundbreaking expression and the pragmatic realities of making a living through art.

The sharp script is laden with witticisms and pithy dialogue, which skewers art-world pretensions. The satire is accentuated by comedic situations and an ensemble of quirky secondary characters that contribute to the eccentric and sometimes farcical atmosphere of the art community as portrayed in the film. Each character brings an aspect of the art world's spectrum to life, from vain and calculating profiteers to earnest but naive creators, highlighting both the ridiculous and the sublime elements that constitute the contemporary art world.

The setting of New York City provides a fitting backdrop to the narrative, with its rich tapestry of artistic venues, from upscale galleries to grimy lofts. The film skillfully uses this environment to underscore the striking contrast between high culture and the chaotic underbelly of the art scene, as well as the fading line between them. The cinematography in Untitled captures the essence of this pulsating art environment, using both visual and auditory elements to complement the unfolding story.

Moreover, the film examines the subjective nature of art, questioning what makes something valuable or laughable, highbrow or lowbrow. It delves into themes of authenticity versus sellout, the quest for recognition and the fear of obscurity, and the perennial debate over the definition of art itself.

Despite its often humorous tone, Untitled does not shy away from offering a nuanced critique of the art world. It encourages viewers to ponder the motivations driving artists and art enthusiasts, prompting a reflection on how the world perceives and consumes art. While Adrian and Madeleine's relationship evolves, the film continues to peel back layers of artifice, revealing the passions, compromises, and sometimes the absurd dilemmas faced by those who live and work in this milieu.

Untangled from the norms of mainstream film, Untitled emerges as a unique work that manages to celebrate and satirize its subject matter in equal measure. With its smart explorations and irreverent humor, the film is a tribute to those who dare to make art, to sell art, and to live by their own definitions of what that art means, even when the world may be scratching its head in bewilderment.

Untitled is a 2009 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 36 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.3 and a MetaScore of 58.