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Adam Goldberg, Marley Shelton, Eion Bailey, Lucy Punch, Vinnie Jones ... see more see more... , Zak Orth , Ptolemy Slocum , Michael Panes , Svetlana Efremova , Marceline Hugot , Janet Carroll , Ben Hammer , David Beach , David Cale , Dean Wareham , Kelly Deadmon , Marla Sucharetza , Carol Schweid , Stan Carp , Ray Demattis , Michael Hauschild , J. Frank Holliday , Lawson White

The uncomfortable merger of art and commerce leads to an unstable romantic triangle in this satiric comedy from director Jonathan Parker. Madeleine (Marley Shelton) is a beautiful young woman who runs... read more read more... an upscale art gallery in New York City. While Madeleine prides herself on exhibiting the most daring and cutting-edge work on the East Coast, her dirty little secret is that she's able to keep the place open by selling the bland but accessible work of her boyfriend (Eion Bailey), whose paintings are quite popular with corporate clients. However, Madeleine is drawn to moody creative types, and her boyfriend makes the mistake of introducing her to his brother (Adam Goldberg), an avant-garde composer whose music is built around breaking glass and the clatter of metal objects. Before long, Madeleine has fallen for the pretentious composer and has to choose between him and the man who can keep her gallery in the black. Also starring Vinnie Jones and Zak Orth, (Untitled) received its world premiere at the 2009 Palm Springs International Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Flixster Users

54% liked it

2,343 ratings

Critics

67% liked it

39 critics

R, 1 hr. 36 min.

Directed by: Jonathan Parker

Release Date: October 23, 2009

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DVD Release Date: June 1, 2010

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Stats: 114 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (114)

  • lewiskendell
    January 1, 2011
    lewiskendell
    "How do you deal with such idiotic criticism?"

    (Untitled) is an absurd, entertaining mixture of a comedy, a romantic comedy, a drama, and a satire of the New York art scene (and some modern art in general, I suppose). It caught my eye because of the presence of Marley Shelton an... read mored Lucy Punch, two underrated and really hot actresses that I make a habit of checking out in every movie I can, but it turned out to be a worthwhile movie, beyond their presence.

    The two main characters are Adrian (Adam Goldberg), a bohemian experimental musician (think kicking buckets and ripping paper), and Madeline (Marley Shelton), a gallery owner who sells the commercial work of Adrian's brother to keep her gallery open, while only allowing more avant-garde pieces to be shown there. Madeline finds herself drawn to Adrian's unconventional sensibilities, but conflict eventually arises between the two when Madeline's eccentric clients don't meet Adrian's ideas of what art should be.

    (Untitled) is funniest when showcasing the "artwork" of its supporting characters, including Ray Park as an artist who uses taxidermy in a unique way, and Zak Orth in a small but absolutely scene-stealing role.

    I think you probably have to be familiar with, or at least aware of, the modern art scene to see the appeal of (Untitled). It's not a hard film to get your head around, or anything like that, but it does get its humor from situations and jokes that may not have appeal for everyone. I thought it was quite amusing, though, and I recommend that anyone who finds the idea interesting, gives it a try.
  • dunmyer
    November 13, 2009
    dunmyer
    "(Untitled)" starts off as a predictable parody of contemporary art such as you'd see on an episode of "Seinfeld" or some other TV sitcom. An avant-garde musician repeatedly kicks a can and calls it art, for example. We've only seen this parody a million times.

    But through th... read moree course of the film, something surprising happens. Director and co-writer Jonathan Parker reveals himself actually to know about contemporary art. Imagine that: a film about art where the filmmaker actually knows something about art -- and not just about the biographies of artists. At last! In this sense, "(Untitled)" is a long-overdue, pioneering film. For this reason, I wanted so much to like it. Unfortunately though, Mr. Parker doesn't have much to say about art, artists, or gallery owners.

    Parker celebrates the avant-garde spirit of being ultra-conceptual and 100 years ahead of the ordinary bourgeoisie. He also pokes affectionate fun at certain excesses, such as the statuesque gallery owner whose clothes are such works of art that they make noise whenever she walks. Galleries are skewered to a degree for having a dishonest, almost predatory approach to artists. But that's pretty much the entire film. Not much more ultimately than you'd get in a "Seinfeld" episode -- and "Seinfeld" is more fun.

    Parker and co-writer Catherine DiNapoli know about art. But they don't know much about what makes for a compelling feature film.
  • gator681
    November 1, 2009
    gator681
    In "(Untitled)", Adrian(Adam Goldberg) is miserable at the lack of acclaim for his experimental music and has vowed that if he is not successful in three years' time, he will kill himself. He already has the pills, by the way. If that does not do it, playing in piano bars will ... read morecertainly finish him off. His brother Josh(Eion Bailey) is the commercially successful artist in the family whose artwork Madeleine(Marley Shelton) sells out of the back room of her gallery to hotels and hospitals to support her showcasing less mainstream artists. After a disastrous concert given by Adrian, she takes a liking to him, convincing Porter(Zak Orth), a wealthy collector, to fund an original work by him.

    If the easiest target for criticism is George W. Bush, then the second easiest must be modern art, as most of it must seem ridiculous to the casual onlooker. And as tempting as it may seem, "(Untitled)" takes the hard road and succeeds, starting with its glorious opening shot, by not treating its characters as caricatures. And with its witty and thoughtful deconstruction, does not go after the artwork itself, but the commercialization of it. In fact, it changes the question from is it art to do you like it? It is Madeleine's job to convince the collectors to like the artwork displayed, so she adopts a hip persona to play the part. Conversely, with the exception of Josh, the artists are sincere(and I think it is sheer genius to have Vinnie Jones play one of them) in their efforts, especially Adrian. I disagree with the onscreen critics. I think his music is emotional, just not a positive emotion, since he always seems like he is in a great deal of pain. In the end, music like art is a deliberate action, unlike noise such as cell phone rings and the sound of Madeleine's clothing.
  • merillupin
    February 4, 2010
    merillupin
    A spoof on the pretentious modern art scene? Count me in! Masterfully executed, this film is so ridiculous - and doesn't take itself seriously. You will learn to see taxidermy and doorstops as the next big things in art, as well as the correct way to kick a bucket. I quite liked ... read moresome of the atonal music... what does that say about me!?
  • SunilJawahir
    January 1, 2011
    SunilJawahir
    I was very bored.
  • HurdAudio
    January 2, 2010
    HurdAudio
    Brutally funny. Filled with quips and one liners and more than a few doses of the "what is art?" nonsense that pervades fine arts institutions. A much needed portrayal of pretensions run amok.

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Critic Reviews

Ian Buckwalter
July 4, 2010
Ian Buckwalter, NPR

Writer-director Jonathan Parker sets us up for a 90-minute debate on aesthetics and artistic integrity, and that's a tedious exercise in any medium. Full Review

Eric D. Snider
November 21, 2009
Eric D. Snider, Film.com

Skewers the world of contemporary art in a way that's insightful and funny without becoming a broad parody. Full Review

Steven Rea
November 12, 2009
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer

(Untitled) asks a lot of intriguing questions -- more intriguing than the film itself. Full Review

Wesley Morris
November 12, 2009
Wesley Morris, Boston Globe

A serious comedy in which the assorted players - a couple of artists, some gallerists, and the people who attend (or don't attend) their shows - discuss what art is, what it should aspire to be, and w... Full Review

Michael Phillips
November 5, 2009
Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune

Has the punctuation and the thinness of a gallery wall label. Full Review

Mick LaSalle
November 5, 2009
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

It doesn't have a hero who's right and everyone else is wrong. And though it mocks every character, it dismisses nobody. It makes a case for every point of view, including those the filmmakers don't s... Full Review

Roger Ebert
November 5, 2009
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

(Untitled) is a comedy worthy of the best Woody Allen, and Adrian is not unlike Woody's persona: a sincere, intense, insecure nebbish, hopeless with women, aiming for greatness. Full Review

Elizabeth Weitzman
October 23, 2009
Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News

Because Parker is so determined to expose the art scene's pretensions, he neglects other areas, like dialogue, plot and character. And what's the point in making a shallow satire about shallow subjects? Full Review

Gary Goldstein
October 23, 2009
Gary Goldstein, Los Angeles Times

There's plenty to recommend. Full Review

Stephen Holden
October 23, 2009
Stephen Holden, New York Times

Shrewdly hedges its bets about the value of it all, it is ultimately on the side of experimental music and art and their champions, no matter how eccentric. For that alone this brave little movie dese... Full Review

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