......are the only two words that apply to this film. It can only be called a film because that was the medium it was shot in. We will never know what was in Gus Van Sant's mind when he made this movie, and that may be his private joke; because he may very well have had nothing in mind when he made it. The film is a detached view of the last days of a self-indulgent, unaware drug addict, so detached that it might have been shot with a security camera affixed to the wall as it watches a man stumble around, ignore his friends, stumble around, ignore his family, stumble around, listen to a Jehova's Witness try to convert him as he sits there totally tuned out, stumble around, hide from a detective trying to find him, stumble around, wander into a potting shed, stumble around, and die. I have just given you the entire plot of Last Days, but did not give a "spoiler alert", as there is no plot, action or dialog to spoil. If a friend wanted to show you a security video of the last eight hours of a homeless drug addict's life in an alley before he slowly dies in front of you, would you watch it? I actually would, rather than watch this again. Because at least I would be watching a real life and death event, without the suffocating pretentiousness of this film.
On top of that, we can't forget that we are watching the pointless and self-indulgent destruction of a millionaire who had far more success than he deserved, was overrated to an embarrassing degree, was more narcissistic than was previously thought humanly possible, and had friends, family and a wife who loved him far more than he deserved. In his own suicide note, Cobain referred to himself as a big baby. At least he was self aware to that degree. His mother after his death said "now he's gone and joined that stupid club". (Referring to the death of Jimmy Hendrix and Joplin by drug overdose, at age 28). His mother had more meaning, depth and insight in her life than her son ever did. Who cares about his life, he wasted it, and who cares about his death, as he didn't care about whoever cared about him? That is the feeling this film leaves in you; though I'm not sure Gus Van Sant cared about any meaning or effect this film had. Finally, who cares about this film? Its subject had no meaning and nothing to say, and neither does this. If you somehow think Kurt Cobain was a "genius" of some kind, and that his death at a young age had some kind of deep meaning, please, please consider a better role model. (And no, Marilyn Manson is not a better role model. At least Cobain wasn't That pathetic.....)
On top of that, we can't forget that we are watching the pointless and self-indulgent destruction of a millionaire who had far more success than he deserved, was overrated to an embarrassing degree, was more narcissistic than was previously thought humanly possible, and had friends, family and a wife who loved him far more than he deserved. In his own suicide note, Cobain referred to himself as a big baby. At least he was self aware to that degree. His mother after his death said "now he's gone and joined that stupid club". (Referring to the death of Jimmy Hendrix and Joplin by drug overdose, at age 28). His mother had more meaning, depth and insight in her life than her son ever did. Who cares about his life, he wasted it, and who cares about his death, as he didn't care about whoever cared about him? That is the feeling this film leaves in you; though I'm not sure Gus Van Sant cared about any meaning or effect this film had. Finally, who cares about this film? Its subject had no meaning and nothing to say, and neither does this. If you somehow think Kurt Cobain was a "genius" of some kind, and that his death at a young age had some kind of deep meaning, please, please consider a better role model. (And no, Marilyn Manson is not a better role model. At least Cobain wasn't That pathetic.....)