Exit Through the Gift Shop (2010)

Is “Exit Through the Gift Shop” a true documentary or a prank by all involved? I don’t know. I’ve never seen another documentary with so many one-liners, where even an old lady dishes out a LOL hilarious comment on a piece of street art. Ninety percent of this flick’s joy comes from wondering what’s real, what’s fictional, and where and when the satire comes and goes. The gist: French-American retailer and OCD video camera freak Thierry Guetta becomes obsessed with illegal street art and eventually crosses paths with the illusive and infamous artist Banksy (always in shadow). Guetta proposes a documentary film. Banksy agrees. But tables are turned, and Banksy turns the cameras on Guetta, who himself turns artist. Guetta is a fascinating character. I admired his passion for daredevil artists, hated his dismissal of wife and children, and laughed out loud at his brash pride at ripping off dead artists. Yet, all this may be a jokey stab at eccentric artists and the rich elite who pander to them. Deadpan narration by Rhys Ivans only adds to the intrigue. A