Exit Through the Gift Shop Review

I have been a fan of Banksy's work, but despite his widespread name and recognition, I didn't really know too many details about his life or his thoughts behind his work. Although I liked the idea of keeping up the intrigue and mystique behind Banksy's work and identity, I really enjoyed the story behind the film, and learned a lot more about who he was, as I had never heard or seen any recordings of him before. And I really connected with Mr. Brainwash in that in the beginning he just liked to film everything as I am a photographer / videographer myself, and I like that he got interested in street art through first-hand experience with meeting artists. I think the film did a really good job at incorporating cinematic and conventional storytelling to make the documentary more engaging and interesting without sacrificing the integrity or exaggerating the truth to the point of losing its credibility. Of course much of the film was entirely fabricated I'm sure, but the message the documentary carries is still strong, even if it's similar to a conventional movie. It never became ridiculous to me at any point. I found the human elements of the film, that is to say, the personal interactions and dialog between the characters, particularly Mr. Brainwash and Banksy, to be the most sincere and truthful aspects. They are also aspects that are almost easier not to fake in this case. But, like any movie, the dramatic portions are for the purposes of tension and narration, not as a reflection of reality. The security scene, for example, where Guetta is interrogated and alerts Banksy, had to have been altered if not entirely fictional. Nonetheless, I still really enjoyed viewing it, and everything about the film challenges our perception of not just street art but art in general.