Independent and Hollywood Films have more in common than you think on the greatness meter. Both can be magnificent or horrid with all variations in between. But rating or even classifying Simon Boisvert movies is another story entirely.
Bold & Brash: Filmmaking Boisvert Style is Simon Boisvert’s debut documentary feature film. The movie concerns Simon Boisvert, a probable unknown among most moviegoers, and that has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that Boisvert was born in Montréal, Québec, Canada. Bold & Brash tells us all we need to know about Simon Boisvert. Since his arrival on the cinema scene in the year 2000, Boisvert has written seven extremely low budget movies, directed four and acted in six of them—if we include Bold & Brash. In spite of this, Boisvert is virtually unknown. Boisvert began his career as an aspiring actor and to that end he auditioned a great deal. Never chosen for a desired role, Boisvert decided that if he wanted viewers to see him on screen he’d have to make movies, and cast himself in the lead. And so he did, without any training in the arts of filmmaking, acting, or production.
Whether or not the films made by or associated with Simon Boisvert are considered good, bad or worse (Venus de Milo, Guys, Girls and a Jerk, Barmaids, and 40 Is the New 20, to name a few) is of absolutely no consequence to Boisvert—or so he says. He’s a man with a mission: to make films that will be seen, no matter what or how. The fact that Boisvert has worked through the disdain and ill respect of everyone, including early casts and crew, is a living testament to the man’s tenacity and passion for filmmaking and self-distribution.
As for my critical review of Bold & Brash: Filmmaking Boisvert Style, I have to admit I really enjoyed this documentary. I found Bold & Brash extremely fast moving for its eighty-seven minute duration. The film was written and executed well, and was extremely interesting. I particularly loved the long intercuts of Boisvert’s movies—which acted as a narration of Boisvert’s creative life and filmmaking style. This struck me as a most unique way of making a documentary film that maintains a high viewer-interest level, as opposed to the usual reliance on talking heads.
Aside from Boisvert’s firmness and bravery in making and showing his films at all costs, I also admire his continued use of relatively unknown actors. I also appreciate that Boisvert’s tales are simple studies of relationships, often comprised of a great deal of unedited conversation that always feels real.
Most who do have the pleasure of viewing Boisvert’s films will see that his style has become more advanced and higher budgeted over the years. Interestingly, these films are not as successful as Boisvert’s earlier projects that are less contrived. I think a lesson can be learned from this, and I hope Simon Boisvert will take heed when contemplating his next movie.
This film was submitted for review through our Submission for Review system. If you have a film you’d like us to see, and we aren’t already looking into it on our own, you too can utilize this service.
