Vincent van Gogh seems to be one of cinema’s most popular painters. This time, Willem Dafoe takes on the role, guided by artist Julian Schnabel as director. This is not a straightforward biopic, but an artistic muse on the artist’s process and personal issues. There’s lots of him wandering thru nature accompanied by sometimes dramatic visuals. Some sequences are abrupt or confusing. Often, the jerky, hand-held, extreme close-up camerawork is bothersome. Other times, we get glimpses into some of his relationships and professional challenges. While Dafoe creates a compelling character, his director relies more on experimental, experiential filmmaking to create this frustrating and even tedious exercise. NOTE: Stay thru the early credits for a poetic ode to color.

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