Matthew Barney: No Restraint (2005)

52% of critics liked it
(21 reviews)
55% of users liked it
(669 ratings)

With his acclaimed Cremaster Cycle and 2005 feature Drawing Restraint 9, avant-garde artist Matthew Barney established himself as a bold experimentalist who wasn't afraid to take a few risks for the sake of his art. Set into motion in the late '80s, Barney's Drawing Restraint series consists of… More With his acclaimed Cremaster Cycle and 2005 feature Drawing Restraint 9, avant-garde artist Matthew Barney established himself as a bold experimentalist who wasn't afraid to take a few risks for the sake of his art. Set into motion in the late '80s, Barney's Drawing Restraint series consists of works in which the artist attempts to create works while hindered by physical weights and barriers. The result, claims Barney are creations that are much more rewarding due to the difficulty it takes to render them. With Drawing Restraint 9, the artist teamed with his wife, Björk, to tell the tale of a couple who boards a Japanese whaling ship to partake in a series of obscure rituals -- including a ceremony that took place in a tank filled with 45,000 pounds of petroleum jelly. For fans longing to see how the innovative artist achieves his unique vision, this documentary by filmmaker Alison Chernick mixes clips from Drawing Restraint 9 with interviews and footage of Barney playing high-school football to create a comprehensive look at her subject's entire career. Additional conversations with Guggenheim curator Nancy Spector, New York Times art critic Michael Kimmelman, 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art chief curator Yuko Hasegawa, and more, this portrait of Barney transcends the trappings of your typical making-of documentary. Björk and Mayumi Miyata collaborate to create the musical score. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Play Trailer

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 10 min.
Directed By: Alison Chernick, Matthew Barney
Written By: Alison Chernick
Genres: Documentary, Kids & Family, Musical & Performing Arts, Special Interest

In Theaters: Dec 20, 2006 Wide
On DVD: May 1, 2007
Studio: IFC First Take

Critic Reviews

Fred Camper, Chicago Reader
More interesting is Chernick's concise survey of Barney's intriguing early work, including weird Vaseline-covered sculptures and footage of him trying to draw while under physical restraints such as a harness, etc.
Bill Stamets, Chicago Sun-Times
[Director] Chernick's stylish yet superficial report looks more like an orientation video for museum visitors.
Alan G. Artner, Chicago Tribune
Barney's art presents a cross between the creepiness of David Cronenberg and David Lynch and the grandiosity and business sense of George Lucas. Chernick's film unquestioningly admires it.
Ken Johnson, Boston Globe
As blandly lucid as Barney is wildly and perplexingly imaginative.
Frank Scheck, Hollywood Reporter
Alison Chernick's documentary attempts to provide some much-needed insight, combining a biographical and artistic portrait of the provocateur.
V.A. Musetto, New York Post
[It would] work better as a DVD 'extra.'
Ian Buckwalter, DCist
How it is that such a polarizing artist coule be the subject of such a tepid documentary is nearly as much of a mystery as the often convoluted allegory of Barney's art.
MaryAnn Johanson, Flick Filosopher
[T]his making-of look at Barney's bizarro film Drawing Restraint 9 feels far more like a DVD extra to that film than a standalone movie in its own right...
Marty Mapes, Movie Habit
An essential companion piece for anyone who feels like they didn't get
Sheila Farr, Seattle Times
If Chernick set out to portray the couple's movie project as a bit frivolous and self-absorbed, she succeeded. But I doubt that was the intention.
Andy Klein, Los Angeles CityBeat
... Chernick's film ends up being far more accessible than Barney's.
Eric Lurio, Greenwich Village Gazette
Better than the actual film it's the featurette for.
David Noh, Film Journal International
An absorbing documentary that seeks to explain this most enigmatic of modern artists.
Noel Murray, AV Club
[Director Alison] Chernick misses the chance to follow in the footsteps of documentarian Thomas Riedelsheimer, whose essential artist-at-work films Touch The Sound and Rivers And Tides meditate on the ephemeral nature of the creative act.
Ken Fox, TV Guide's Movie Guide
Chernick may not answer every question about this beguiling and enigmatic film, but you wouldn't want it to: Mystery is an essential part of the Barney experience.