Criticism is at such an interesting place right now — the divide between audiences and critics is bigger than ever. If you don’t like something, you did not understand it; if you like something, you got paid for your positive opinion. Kent Jones, who directs Late Fame, is a former critic–turned-artist. His ideas on criticism in the modern age, and how people view art, are a stark reminder of what criticism used to be good for. 

Late Fame follows Ed Saxberger (Willem Dafoe), a former poet whose original work from the 1970s is rediscovered by an eccentric group of young creators. As Gen Z and younger millennials continue to rediscover art, film, and music, redefining them with online trends, the premise feels unique and relevant. Jones tackles the idea through a stoic, mean-spirited lens, showing how older people view the younger generation’s relationship with art. 

With a leading performance from Dafoe, we witness a rare occurrence, as he has mostly done supporting work throughout the past decade or so. It is always a joy seeing him on screen. It is a quiet and restrained performance with great nuance. He appreciates recognition but lets it go to his head, and it affects the closest people around him. 

There is a great scene with him where he goes to his local dive bar. He gives a friend his old poetry book as a birthday gift, but they start to make fun of him, and in retaliation, he tells them that they are too low-brow to understand poetry anyway. It’s a perfect scene that encapsulates the themes of the movie perfectly, and Dafoe teeters the line between appreciative and egotistical throughout. 

Jones and writer Samy Burch also confront the role that influencers have on our modern-day culture as they slowly become the new “critics.” Jones makes it clear his stance on modern critics. With so many prominent names leaving or being let go from their publications, it’s a meditative story that lets you sit with how most people view our current culture and the role of traditional criticism. 

The technical elements from Jones are simple. It’s a walk-and-talk movie, but there are certain dream-like sequences that feel experimental for a small portion of the film. It is Jones’ second feature film, and you can tell. I do hope he builds upon the skills because his ideas and themes make me excited for what he does in the future. 

The ensemble around Dafoe is strong, but at times feels too large. Led by the wonderful Greta Lee, we see a nice change in pace as she lets herself be more fun and silly. As for the rest of the ensemble, I was never quite moved by any of their performances, as it feels that too many need their small moment. Although it is more of Dafoe’s movie than anything, he elevates the people around him to a decent enough level that it is a digestible movie experience. 

There is so much to explore in the ideas of criticism and who decides what is “good” and “bad” art.  Despite its hiccups, Late Fame is a great stepping stone towards these ideas being explored, and I hope people give it a true chance. 

For its ideas, the positioning of making Dafoe a leading actor again, and the modern character study that it tackles, Late Fame is a worthy watch.  It is a small film with a big heart and grand ideas, and if you let it truly sink in, I think a lot of progress will be made for what it is trying to achieve. 

Review Courtesy of Jacob Diedenhofer

Feature Image Credit to Morning Moon Productions