My Top 10 documentaries - 'My Kid could paint That (2007)

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Amir Bar-Lev's movie explores the pretentious world of the New York abstract arts scene and the arrival of 7-year-old Marla Olmstead into it around the new millennium. A local reporter, Maria Cohen, does a human interest story on a father who is an amateur painter, his young daughter watching him work, doing some paintings of her own. It’s a sweet loving relationship that’s innocent enough. More established artist and critics watching the TV report think the kid has lot more talent than dad and her paintings may well be the work of a look. # Dad is not pushing back on the attention and exhibits some pictures to them of his daughter’s earlier work to the ‘scene’ at a local coffee shop. She becomes a local celebrity and people in the arts scene become convinced she’s the next Jackson Pollock. The media attention accelerates to the national press and the kid does an art show, some of her work valued at six figure sums overtime. Again, dad does little to discourage the publicity. The kid knows no different and just paints away. The attention peaks when other ‘experts’ start to question the kids cannon of work so the family agree to have a camera monitor her working. A child physiologist is intrigued at the case and sees no real talent in her brushstrokes or work, just a 7-year-old kid finger and brush painting. Where is this supposed genius in the work coming from? More intriguingly the paintings that are selling for good money seem to be of a different style and more sophisticated than the ones the kid produces on camera. What is going on here? Any good? So this is a multilayered story of the absurdity of what people can call modern art, the relevance of people questioning what art is, and the absurd people will pay big money for what is often absurd work, as the title says - my kid can paint that. It’s also about the deception of that world and how people can be fooled – or not, and maybe everyone is going along with pretending its art to keep the money rolling in. I personally believe 90% of modern art is complete cr*p. The parents are likable middle-class artists and love the attention from that world and the father clearly living his artistic dreams through his daughter’s creations. Is he hoping the reporters and experts like his work as well as Marla’s and will he somehow be as famous one day? The ending of the film answers most of those questions and leaves some hanging but intriguing and intelligent throughout. The kick in the film is like that moment in the real life drama of the McCann family who lost their little daughter Maddie on holiday and after a ton of press conferences during the two week search one reporter finally turns the camera on them and asks were you involved? That flips the narrative and the parents no longer want to be involved with the media. It’s about that adult need for your kids to be what you weren’t and hope they are an improved version of you but still that nagging regret and dare I say jealously. You really need to see this film if you love documentary and the questions it probes.