Sundance 2019: “Velvet Buzzsaw” is art world satire meets slasher film

Sundance 2019: “Velvet Buzzsaw”

Screenwriter Dan Gilroy made his directorial debut back in 2014 with the creepily effective “Nightcrawler,” a dark drama about a con man who muscles his way into the often disturbing world of crime journalism. With his new satire horror fusion, “Velvet Buzzsaw,” he takes the art world to task with mixed results.

“Velvet Buzzsaw” presents a world full of smarmy, self-absorbed individuals who would turn on each other in a New York minute, all in the name of the almighty dollar. These individuals include reputable gallery owner Rhodora Haze (Rene Russo), renowned art critic Morf Vandewalt (Jake Gyllenhaal), Rhodora’s up-and-coming employee and part-time Morf-lover Josephina (Zawe Ashton), snooty exhibit programmer Gretchen (Toni Collette), and conniving gallery handyman Bryson (Billy Magnussen).

The plot is set in motion when a mysterious man passes away in Josephina’s apartment complex. Shortly thereafter, Josephina discovers that this man’s apartment is filled with a plethora of incredible, if a tad disturbing, paintings not yet seen by the outside world. Yes, it seems that this reclusive individual was quite the prolific artist, and once that word gets out, a host of colorful art world types are quick to try and take credit for the discovery and make as much money as possible. What these folks don’t know, though, is that this is “real” art, and it comes with a hefty price.

While the L.A. art world would appear to be the perfect subject for a shrewd satire, “Velvet Buzzsaw” may not necessarily be that movie, because quite frankly, it isn’t clever enough. It’s a superficial film about superficial people to be sure, but given Gilroy’s involvement, I thought the goings on might be a little less obvious. Perhaps this material would have been more suited for someone like Christopher Guest. But then, if the man behind “Waiting For Guffman” made this movie, it probably would have been more of a straight-up parody, and that’s not necessarily what Gilroy was going for.

Per the horror aspect of the picture, it certainly has a “Final Destination” ring to it, meaning there’s a supernatural bent. There are even a few moments that will appeal to gore hounds. Included: A blood-soaked scene involving a silver sphere-shaped art piece that brought to mind “Phantasm.” The problem is that “Velvet Buzzsaw” often resorts to standard tropes. There’s even the old “cat-jumping-on-the-counter-top” scare. Coming from Gilroy, I thought perhaps there would be a more subversive nature to the proceedings, but save for a wonderfully creepy robot sequence, a lot of the the slasher/horror stuff is pretty standard fare.

Beyond that, it should be noted that not everyone in “Velvet Buzzsaw” is depicted as a selfish asshole. Up-and-coming artist Damrish (Daveed Diggs) is fairly quick to realize that this deceased man’s art is not to be trifled with and he’s an artist that does seem to live by what one might consider a moral code. Likewise, Rhodora’s sweet and mousy secretary, Coco (played by Natalia Dyer of “Stranger Things” fame), has yet to be corrupted by a scene hellbent on eating itself. Even past-the-point-of-no-return Rhodora has a surprisingly sweet and selfless moment in which she puts the soul of an artist before her own.

That said, for the most part, “Velvet Buzzsaw” features a cutthroat world in which characters feed on themselves. But then, I suppose that’s sort of the point. At the very least, Gilroy does suggest that you reap what you sow, and without delving too far into spoiler territory, let’s just say that many of these folks get what they deserve.

Thankfully, “Velvet Buzzsaw” does benefit from a solid cast. Each of these actors is clearly having a good time, most notably a flamboyant Gyllenhaal who clearly has a blast playing an all-knowing critic. John Malkovich is also pretty good in a bit part as a struggling artist looking to either get his mojo back or leave the scene for good.

Again, “Velvet Buzzsaw” isn’t without it’s moments. But following “Nightcrawler” and the interesting if a little uneven character drama “Roman J. Israel, Esq.,” it does feel like a small step back for the gifted Gilroy.

“Velvet Buzzsaw” drops on Netflix Feb. 1.

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