A must-see for art-lovers, filmmaker Tamra Davis uses an interview she taped of her friend years ago as the spine of this documentary about Jean-Michel Basquiat.  The film focuses on the time period from his move to Manhattan as a teenager and rise to fame in the art world to his death at age 27.  Images of his art, archival stills, and period video complement that primary interview with Basquiat.  Interviews with other friends, artists, and critics fill in the gaps.

This is a blunt instrument.  The music can be intrusive (as often as it is illuminating), and the sound mix leaves a lot to be desired (the quality of the sound in the interviews varies greatly, which is surprising for the recent footage), but the portrait provides insights into the life and work of an artist who was an indelible part of the New York art scene of the late 1970s and 1980s.

The Radiant Child evokes the energy of that scene but also explores darker themes as Basquiat becomes more famous as an artist and begins to use drugs.  The film is engaging, but I kept wishing it had more nuance, a better sound mix, and about fifteen minutes trimmed from the running time.

Screenings April 16, 17, 18, and 24 at RiverRun.  See the website (http://www.riverrunfilm.com) for details.