Boogie Woogie (Review)

Posted By Dennis Willis on Apr 23, 2010 | 0 comments

BOOGIE WOOGIE (4/23/10; Comedy) Gillian Anderson, Alan Cumming, Heather Graham, Danny Huston, Christopher Lee, Joanna Lumley, Charlotte Rampling, Amanda Seyfried, Stellan Skarsgård, Jamie Winstone SCR: Danny Moynihan, based on his novel DIR: Duncan Ward MPAA: R for strong sexual content, graphic nudity, language throughout and some drug use. 1 hour 31 mins

Who knew the modern art world was so swingin’? This satire finds an ensemble of dealers, collectors, artists and artistes as they circle, scheme, outplay, outmaneuver, and screw each other (literally and figuratively).

The cast is impressive and occasionally an inspired moment rises from the banality in this art world version of Robert Altman’s Pret-a-Porter (1994). Cummings’ tale is about the pathos of a failed endeavor; Graham is an ambitious assistant willing to do anything to succeed; Huston is the viperous dealer from another era and Skarsgård his lecherous client with a few angles of his own.

This veers from wicked commentary to vapid sex drama and, while individual elements are luridly engaging (does everyone in this movie have an obsession with boobs?), there is nothing to flesh it out. Jamie Winstone, who plays the spiky-haired lesbian video artist Elaine, is the daughter of Ray Winstone. (IFC)

— DENNIS WILLIS