A delightfully wry documentary, insightful and questioning as Frenchman Thierry Guetta, vintage clothing store owner in downtown LA, finds himself at the centre of the burgeoning rise of the street art scene.
In the right place at the right time, the self-proclaimed filmmaker Guetta is given access to key street artists as they hit the LA streets. Day and night, Guetta is out with his camera, neglecting family and business. For 10 years, he is a man possessed, driven by the documenting of the movement as it moves from the street to mainstream gallery success. But, with years of unedited footage, it takes Banksy to turn the focus on Guetta to produce a film – and sets in motion a series of very unexpected results as the affable, eccentric Frenchman evolves into something very different.
On one level, Exit Through the Gift Shop is an insightful look into the rise of street art and a select few of the ‘stars’ (Banksy, Space Invader and Shepard Fairy in particular) of the movement. Grainy nighttime footage attests to the risks taken. But, in following Guetta, it also evolves into a commentary on the commercialistion of that art and a character-driven thriller as he becomes immersed in the world he is filming.
Nominated for the 2011 best documentary Oscar.
Rating: 77%
Director: Thierry Guetta, Banksy
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