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Written by Raffi Asdourian, July 1, 2010 at 9:24 am 

Brock Enright: Good Times Will Never Be The Same is not your traditional documentary per se, it doesn’t have narration or a heavy handed point of view. Instead it lulls the audience into an ambient hypnosis, delving deep into an intimate portrait of a complex artist, Brock Enright. Most likely you haven’t heard about this film, but don’t let that deter you from seeking out this excellent and intriguing documentary, now available on Blu-Ray and Netflix, from first time director Jody Lee Lipes. This strikingly assured debut from the extremely talented Lipes, better known in the indie community for his bold Roger Deakins-esque cinematography (Afterschool, Tiny Furniture, NY Export: Jazz Opus), is more like a glimpse into the window of someone’s life during a very transformative and creative process.

The film focuses on emerging New York artist Brock Enright as he prepares a career defining showcase for the prestigious Perry Rubinstein gallery.  Brock begins his existential journey into creation by venturing deep into the woods, where he will be staying with the family of his girlfriend, painter Kirsten Deirup. But as soon as the voyage into the anarchistic uncharted territories of the abstract commence, we see the true focus of Lipes‘ lens, to see the strains that an artistic endeavor creates on their relationship. The verité style of the camera work also lends itself to crafting an atmosphere and deep sense of intimacy and trust between the artist and the filmmaker.

Part of the mystery of the film is that element which makes it the most enigmatic, the unknown. Throughout the entire artist’s journey, we never actually see the art that Brock has created nor do we get a glimpse of what he has done in the past to land him such a prestigious opportunity. Instead we are only privy to the creative formation of Brock’s art. As a warning to casual viewers, there is some extremely graphic content documented of Brock making art, and while it may feel like a gross inside joke, it’s also a sober reminder of what artists must to do to push the envelope. And while to a viewer unfamiliar with Brock this may seem frustrating, it’s also an essential point of the film to focus on Brock’s life as a person and how his art affects those around him as opposed to purely his art. However, this lack of perspective on Brock’s art has be remedied in the fantastic extras on the blu-ray.

Though it may seem sparse on paper, the extra features add a whole new texture to the experience of watching Brock Enright: Good Times Will Never Be The Same including the art video component that Brock is documented in the film making. Blackgoat (69min) is essentially a second film packaged with the blu-ray (though not in HD) that displays the twisted work of genius and chaotic creation that is the result of Brock’s journey. In addition to that, there are several video loops from the Perry Rubinstein installation, allowing you a glimpse of what the exhbiti must have felt like. The final and maybe the most insightful extra is a 16 minute  candid conversation (shot in glorious HD) between artist Robert Longo and Brock Enright discussing both Blackgoat and Brock Enright: Good Times Will never Be The Same. It’s an interesting examination of both the art of Brock, the problems artists face and their perspective on the documentary. The one feature I would have loved to see would have been a director’s commentary between Brock and Jody because it definitely would be interesting to see two different artists examine each other’s work.

Movie – 8 out of 10
Video – 9 out of 10
Audio – 8 out of 10
Extras – 8 out of 10

Bottom Line: This documentary is definitely a unique addition to any blu-ray collection,  feeling more like owning a piece of art then just a film.  I’m also sure you’ll earn indie cred with friends for opening their minds to something different, while still enjoying the pristine quality of the cinematography and creative storytelling. You can buy the Blu-ray from Factory 25.