A heady tribute that lets Allen Ginsberg’s Beat poem do all the talking and gives Franco another chance to shine.
Howl serves as a well-crafted and accessible introduction to one of the 20th Century's greatest poets.
With a frustrating format and poor animation, it's still worth it for Franco and the chance to engage with a key work of poetry.
Does the resulting movie work? Not quite. Is it watchable? Yes.
James Franco does an excellent impersonation of Ginsberg but the film doesn't capture enough of Howl's terrors.
The film's sincerity is beyond doubt, but that's not much use to anyone, converted or otherwise.
It's decently acted, particularly by Franco, who is always watchable. But it fails to engage the heart and the question of why we should read Ginsberg now is unanswered.
Part surreal dreamscape, part character study and all entertainment.
Sadly, I found it only moderately enjoyable and rather smug, much like an average edition of the BBC's Arena.
Howl is well acted, respectful and certainly educational, but it doesn't quite add up to a film.
Like someone says in the film, you can't translate poetry, that's why it's poetry.
The occasionally clumsy animated translation of the poem is overly literal but still diverting, and Epstein and Friedman should be commended for bringing Howl to a new generation.
You’ll need to be a hardened verse fan to get through some of the longer scenes in which Franco’s Ginsberg performs his beat poetry in clubs.
It neither nails in any satisfyingly artistic way what made the epic poem so groundbreaking, nor convincingly dramatises its genesis beyond stating the obvious. What it has going for it is James Franco's central performance as Ginsberg.
Howl is far more than just a checklist of a life, and biopics have been crying out for reinvention like this.
Sundance opener Howl dramatises obscenity trial of Allen Ginsberg's poem
Howl at the movies
Poetic Justice
James Franco stars in Ginsberg biopic Howl--interview
Allen Ginsberg's 'Howl': 'I scribbled magic lines from my real mind'
The Beats have had a bad rap but Howl lets their words speak for themselves
Allen Ginsberg, Howl and the voice of the Beats
General release. Check local listings for show times.
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