One of the most audacious documentaries in recent years, Exit Through the Gift Shop is a look at the street art scene from the perspective of its most revered participant: Banksy. The film follows the pursuits of eccentric Thierry Guetta, a French immigrant living in Los Angeles who gets immersed in the street art scene there, and ends up fashioning himself under the moniker Mr. Brainwash. There has been much debate about whether the film is straight-up documentary or a mockumentary: the inherent manner in which Banksy appears to satirise the art world's tendencies towards trend-setting over actual merit would suggest much of the latter. That's all in the fun of the venture, really: Guetta is such a bizarre character that it's easy to believe he is an actor peddling artwork that Banksy himself created for satirical purposes, and it's similarly easy to believe that Banksy is as amused and transfixed as we are. Whatever you think, it's undeniably fascinating work, transitioning the artist effortlessly to a new medium.
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