Howl (2010)

A must for fans of Allen Ginsberg, the so-called beat generation, and for hipsters of all stripes, this is an entertaining account of Ginsberg's writing of the book-length poem Howl in 1955 and the subsequent obscenity trial of its publisher Lawrence Ferlinghetti, mixed in with Ginsberg's friendships with Jack Kerouac and Neal Cassady, a re-creation of a 1957 interview, some creative animation, and not enough of Ginsberg's long relationship with his partner Peter Orlovsky. James Franco (after I wrote about him in Milk, he was in Date Night and Eat Pray Love, and 127 Hours opened yesterday) has Ginsberg's speech inflections down pat and gives us a look into the writer's soul. In court, David Strathairn (I wrote about him in Cold Souls) is the straight-laced prosecuting attorney, Jon Hamm (Mad Men, 30 Rock, The Town) still buttoned-down for the defense, Bob Balaban (such a great character actor, he makes it hard to pick my favorites. I'll let you look at his list and decide) the judge, and Mary-Louise Parker (after I wrote about her in A Solitary Man she was in Red) with some fabulous 50s eyeglasses, is the only woman in the movie with a speaking part (for the record, it was hard for me to imagine her as the prim character she was playing, as Nancy Botwin on Weeds is one of many free spirits in her repertoire). Other good actors have small supporting roles, including Jeff Daniels, Alessandro Nivola, and Treat Williams.

Rob Epstein (director of 12 documentaries, including The Times of Harvey Milk) and Jeffrey Friedman (collaborator on 8 of Epstein's docs) co-directed, co-wrote, and co-produced this (along with 15 other producers). Cool music by Carter Burwell (Fargo (1996), O Brother Where Art Thou (2000), Before Night Falls (2000), A Serious Man, The Kids Are All Right, 74 others!) is supplemented by a little cool music of the period, and the movie ends with Ginsberg himself singing a song over pictures of the real people and their fates. The critics have not been kind (55% on rottentomatoes) but audiences have liked it better, averaging 67%. We liked it better than that. I'd give it 4 out of 5 stars.