Gregory Crewdson: Brief Encounters

Name: Gregory Crewdson: Brief Encounters
Genre: Biography, Drama, Documentary
Released: November 2, 2012
Duration: 78 min
Rating: 87

2012

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 8 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 6 Ratings

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6.7

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6.7	Your Score
6.7	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 6 Ratings

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Gregory Crewdson: Brief Encounters

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Movie Details & Credits

Zeitgeist Films | Release Date: November 2, 2012 | Not Rated

Summary: Photographer Gregory Crewdson’s 10-year quest to create a series of haunting, surreal, and stunningly elaborate portraits of small-town American life — filmed with unprecedented access as he makes perfect renderings of a disturbing, imperfect world. [Ben Shapiro Productions]

Director: Ben Shapiro

Genre(s): Biography, Drama, Documentary

Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 78 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Jeannette Catsoulis

Oct 31, 2012

With marvelous discipline, Mr. Shapiro crams a wealth of material into a tight 77 minutes, smoothly communicating the group effort required to achieve the perfect shot. Read full review

100

Ronnie Scheib

Oct 31, 2012

Brief Encounters reps a must-see for art lovers. Read full review

Betsy Sharkey

Mar 7, 2013

It is a rare thing to witness the creative process. But in the excellent new documentary Gregory Crewdson: Brief Encounters, filmmaker Ben Shapiro gives us fly-on-the-wall access over a 10-year period to an acclaimed artist as he envisions, designs and executes his surreal commentary on small-town American life in the form of an epic photo installation, "Beneath the Roses." Read full review

Ela Bittencourt

Oct 31, 2012

Brief Encounters is great entertainment. Read full review

Sebastian Smee

Nov 15, 2012

Crewdson's work is distinctive, and this film does a great job helping us understand the specific nature of his vision. Read full review

Farran Smith Nehme

Nov 1, 2012

These elisions give an odd feeling to a film so long in the making. Crewdson's work ultimately begins to seem less enigmatic than he is himself. Read full review

David Fear

Oct 31, 2012

Creepy doesn't begin to describe these masterworks of control freakery, nor does beautiful - they look as if they're glowing from the inside out, even as Crewdson's scenes of furtive common people make viewers feel like voyeurs. Read full review

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User Reviews

neilox

Aug 17, 2013

A beautiful documentary that takes the viewer through the thought process of a brilliant mind. Gregory Crewdson is an exceptional artist and this documentary tells the story of each of his works which in turn have their own stories to tell. A must watch!

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

lancekoz

Mar 18, 2014

Looking at the other user reviews for this film, I can see both sides. If you are not interested in the guy's photography, it will be an ordeal. I too get the impression that the photos' content is obsessively dedicated to overly enigmatic and possibly prurient imagery. But if you acceptLooking at the other user reviews for this film, I can see both sides. If you are not interested in the guy's photography, it will be an ordeal. I too get the impression that the photos' content is obsessively dedicated to overly enigmatic and possibly prurient imagery. But if you accept that as part of the art shown, this is a fascinating documentation to a a successful artist's craft and astounding dedication to his work. And even if the images don't appeal to you, are derivative or upsetting, there's a lot of mastery of color and lighting on display, which is admirable in any case. To watch these qualities created for the elaborate photo sets this man orchestrates is entertaining and instructive.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

theredpanda333

Jul 17, 2013

87!?! I guess you can't expect film critics to be good photography critics. This film should be renamed close encounters of the worst kind. The artist tips his hat to Edward Hopper and David Lynch yes yes, but noticeably Jeff Wall goes unmentioned, maybe because acknowledging this would be87!?! I guess you can't expect film critics to be good photography critics. This film should be renamed close encounters of the worst kind. The artist tips his hat to Edward Hopper and David Lynch yes yes, but noticeably Jeff Wall goes unmentioned, maybe because acknowledging this would be admitting that his techniques are as derivative as his content.

After you look beyond the tired and the cheesy surrealist gambits all you will find here is a super-sized serving of poverty porn, processing and straight jacket-ing its underclass subjects into a romanticize catatonic state. The overlong film does succeed in proving that brief encounters are the best kind when it comes to these photos.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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