Basquiat

An insider's look at the kinetic New York City art world, told through the tragic life story of Jean-Michel Basquiat (a brilliant performance by Jeffrey Wright). A black, 19-year-old graffiti artist who catapulted to superstardom with his controversial paintings, Basquiat rubbed elbows with the likes of Andy Warhol and Julian Schnabel before burning out permanently from a drug overdose at the age of 27. Schnabel, himself a celebrated figure in the art world, makes his directing debut with this star-studded biopic about the overlapping yet conflicting worlds of art, commerce, and celebrity.