My Kid Could Paint That - Review
Review by Jack Foley
WHEN American documentary filmmaker Amir Bar-Lev was invited into the Olmstead family home in 2004 to capture four-year-old painting prodigy Marla at work, he could barely have imagined the life-altering events that would follow.
Having captivated the US with her abstract expressionism and sold work for as much as $15,000 a canvas, Marla suddenly found herself at the centre of one of the biggest controversies to hit the art world in years.
A 60 Minutes documentary cast doubt over Marla’s genius and suggested that her father, Mark – himself an amateur painter – may have had a hand in the works himself.
Amir was subsequently asked to stay with the Olmsteads to help set the record straight – but instead came to question the story as well, which led to increased tension and a much wider debate on the issue of parental responsibility and the nature of modern art itself.
My Kid Could Paint That, the film that results, is one of the most absorbing films I have seen in a long time. Whereas most documentaries approach their subject matter with a knowing wisdom or a keen sense of reverence, Amir Bar-Lev’s film is buoyed by the uncertainty that continues to surround the subject matter.
As such, it asks as many difficult questions about human nature as it does about the story itself. Are we, by nature, inclined to look for the bad in every situation, so much so that we could jump to such dark conclusions about little Marla’s true talent? Should parents expose their children to such intense media scrutiny at such a young age? And is the ridiculously high cost of art as much to blame for the problem?
For his part, Amir manages to remain objective no matter how visibly torn he becomes, refusing to judge the issue and posing plenty of questions for the audience. The ensuing film is likely to stir some pretty intense debate among anyone that sees it – whether they’re fans of modern art or not.
An interview he sets up late on makes for particularly intense viewing, as he finally musters the courage to raise his concerns in front of the family and seeks some truth on camera.
Just what that truth is remains a contentious issue but that shouldn’t deter anyone from seeking out this excellent documentary and at least attempting to judge for themselves.
Certificate: 12A
Running time: 84mins
UK release date: December 14, 2007