To begin with the good : this is quite an interesting movie, which has intelligent things to say about life in our modern Western cities, with their ever more distant extremes of wealth and poverty. It also has interesting things to say about the various mishaps and misunderstandings which occur when an anemic and inbred elite of artists and patrons tries to tackle the big issues of our age. In the movie, as in real life, most of these attempts are so ill-judged, naive or patronising that they become part of the problem, not part of the solution.
"The Square" makes another valid point, to wit that good art tends to prove its own excellence, while mediocre art (or, as the case may be, mediocre "art") needs a lot of hoopla and razzle-dazzle. People will queue for hours in order to look at paintings by Rubens, for the simple reason that Rubens was an artist of great skill, imagination and depth ; but dragging the public to a mountain of broken window glass named "Fraction / Refraction / Non-Topical Domain" will call for some industrial-strength publicity.
Finally "The Square" also points out, with considerable insight, that much of contemporary art depends upon a disdain for the past. Masterful friezes, iconic paintings, beloved statues are thrown into the dustbin, so that the public can experience the supreme delight of sitting in a bare room and staring at a white wall.
In other words : "The Square" does possess insight, interest and topicality.
However, I can't say that I really like the movie. Ironically, it seems to partake in some of the defects it decries, such as distance, sterility and yes, presumption. One can be kind and say that this is a perfect marriage of content and form, but still, I like to watch movies made with emotion and conviction. And while we're at it, I also like movies that appeal not only to my brain, but also to my heart.
"The Square" makes another valid point, to wit that good art tends to prove its own excellence, while mediocre art (or, as the case may be, mediocre "art") needs a lot of hoopla and razzle-dazzle. People will queue for hours in order to look at paintings by Rubens, for the simple reason that Rubens was an artist of great skill, imagination and depth ; but dragging the public to a mountain of broken window glass named "Fraction / Refraction / Non-Topical Domain" will call for some industrial-strength publicity.
Finally "The Square" also points out, with considerable insight, that much of contemporary art depends upon a disdain for the past. Masterful friezes, iconic paintings, beloved statues are thrown into the dustbin, so that the public can experience the supreme delight of sitting in a bare room and staring at a white wall.
In other words : "The Square" does possess insight, interest and topicality.
However, I can't say that I really like the movie. Ironically, it seems to partake in some of the defects it decries, such as distance, sterility and yes, presumption. One can be kind and say that this is a perfect marriage of content and form, but still, I like to watch movies made with emotion and conviction. And while we're at it, I also like movies that appeal not only to my brain, but also to my heart.