Viewed in
2008
Premise
A documentary about, Marla Olmstead, a four year old girl whose paintings we sold for money.
Who should watch
Those who like a documentary with more questions than answers.
Thoughts
A found this to be an interesting film full of unexpected twists.
Like most four year olds, Marla was absolutely adorable. At first, her parents were very likable too. They seemed a bit naive and in disbelief by Marla's fame, but most importantly, they wanted to keep Marla's childhood intact.
Then things start to fall apart as Marla's paintings are questioned publicly. Her parents' fight for their family's reputation was quite curious.
What tantalized me the most was the last act. All of a sudden, the metaphorical fourth-wall fell as the documenter and some of the subjects questioned the purpose of the documentary. I cannot describe how weird it felt to be plunged into the film maker's dilemma as the person behind the camera questions himself.
Most of the time, I want a documentary to work like an essay, with a concise summary of what it's about. This film was special because of all the interesting and unexpected questions that sprung up. What started as a story on a child-sensation turned into an exploration of modern art, the legitimacy of the art industry, the power of modern American journalism, everyone's motives, and what makes a documentary.
To be honest, I cannot decide if Marla's paintings were legit or not. And to me, that ceased to be important once the third act blind-sided me.
What I would change
Nothing.
