The Graffiti Artist

The purpose of this film remains unclear to me. It is a moody drama with gay undertones, following two drifters without roots who attempt to communicate through graffiti on objects and walls throughout the Pacific Northwest. With total dialogue lasting only 15 minutes, you could fast forward the entire movie and not miss a single thing.
A young teenager named Nick spends his life eating, sleeping, and tagging empty walls in the bleak industrial downtown of Portland. After shoplifting paints, fruit, and whatever else he requires, he frequently ends up sleeping on the streets. He forms an unexpected bond with Jesse, a boy from a more affluent background who shares his passion for graffiti. The two stay together, tagging as a pair and photographing one another in front of their work. One night, Jesse advances sexually toward Nick, but things shift following that encounter. Jesse rejects any further advances and moves to Seattle. When Nick tracks him down, Jesse claims they are two different people; this surprises Nick, who reminds Jesse that he was the one who initiated sex. Jesse walks away, and Nick continues on with his life.
It seems the filmmaker intended to celebrate the art of graffiti first, constructing a narrative around it second. Through multiple angles, the painting scenes break down the act itself, celebrating how it gives meaning to Nick’s life by detailing him painting everywhere and taking photographs of his work. While the film likely appeared in a few gay film festivals, it feels odd because, aside from that one night of sudden, hasty sex between the boys, nothing about the movie screams queer. The two boys are decent actors and good looking, but the subject matter provides them no chance to shine. Beyond that, the film consists of some skateboarding, a train ride, badly costumed “undercover” cops, and mostly just bad tags. This is an art film that remains strictly “art” and struggles to find an appreciative audience. Lacking both a plot and a proper ending, the movie simply crawls back into its shell of silence and dies. It is forgettable.(1.5/10)