PALO ALTO.

PALO ALTO

Posted on Wednesday 28/01/2015 January, 2015 by Rialto Admin

That James Franco is one hell of a polarising character. From pretty boy to serious talent to laughable auteur and scholar (and plenty more in between), you either love him or you hate him, and my camp of choice is most definitely the former.

Known for his breakthrough starring role on Freaks and Geeks (1999), Franco’s star ascended quickly, and his appearance in films as diverse as Pineapple Express and Milk have seen his profile grow among both stoners and art house fans all over the world.

He may also be one of the most academically accomplished actors (an "extreme scholar") in Hollywood history: besides his BFA in English from UCLA, he has two MFA degrees - both in writing - from Columbia and Brooklyn College, and a third MFA, in film, from New York University. He is continuing further degree studies while also teaching a graduate class that takes students through the process of making a feature-length film and yep, he fits in time for a bunch of other stuff on the side.

His documentary about the history of Saturday Night Live was released late last year, just in time for the show’s 40th-season premiere. But for Franco, one movie isn’t enough. Did you hear about his new book that came out the same week? Hollywood Dreaming: Stories, Pictures, and Poems is the fifth book that Franco wrote all on his own (as in, if you don’t count art books, collaborations, anthologies, literary magazines or Italy: From I to Y, which was written by James De Franco).

And even that isn’t enough. The Oscar nominee debuted his new webseries, Making a Scene with James Franco, on AOL later again last year, and then followed the controversy surrounding his flick The Interview as 2014 closed out. Is there anything this guy can’t do?

Many have said that the right question actually is, “Is there anything this guy doesn’t do?” And no, there isn’t, and for naysayers that’s the problem. It’s not like he has a little side project or a hobby that gets disproportionate attention because of his stardom – he really does try to do it all. And sure it’s with varying degrees of success, but at least he has a go and listens to the critics, no matter how vehement their reaction.

New York Times art critic Roberta Smith proudly said sge has a wish for James Franco: “that someone or something would make him stop.” Others have said that “just like Woody Allen, his flashes of genius are diluted by a prodigious output which seems half-conceptualized, barely finished”. Who cares, in my humble opinion – he’s giving it all a go and occasionally, that comes with flashes of genius.

His book of short stories, Palo Alto, was one of those in my opinion. Slightly depressing and definitely ‘of a moment’, it’s a great little collection and the film that it spawned of the same name is a damn good watch. It is written and directed by Gia Coppola, the granddaugher of Francis Coppola and niece of Sofia Coppola, and although her experience as a photographer and director of fashion videos doesn’t make her an instant Fellini, girl does good all the same. Critics have pointed out that she doesn't yet have a clear idea of how to write and stage scenes, but the casting is inspired (including Franco himself as a creepy coach) and like the book, it is a great moment in time. Check it out.