CUTIE AND THE BOXER (Zachary Heinzerling). 82 minutes. Subtitled. Opens Friday (September 20) at the TIFF Bell Lightbox. For times, see listings. Rating: NNNNN
There are plenty of eccentric couples in the art world, but few compare to Ushio and Noriko Shinohara, the fascinating pair at the centre of Cutie And The Boxer.
One of Japan’s leading avant-garde artists, Ushio is best known for his “boxing” paintings made by punching canvases with paint-smeared gloves, and big sculptures constructed from recycled cardboard. When he moved to New York City in the 1960s, he became famous – there’s a great picture of him with Warhol – but his works didn’t sell.
In his early 40s, he met 19-year-old Japanese art student Noriko. Over the next few decades, she raised their son and became Ushio’s unpaid cook and assistant while her own work was put on hold.
The film opens as Ushio turns 80 and they’re struggling to pay the rent. He’s three years sober, but their adult son obviously has a drinking problem. Collectors express some interest, but no one’s buying. And Noriko begins working on a series of autobiographical drawings inspired by her relationship with her bullying, self-absorbed husband.
Director Zachary Heinzerling gets great access to the couple, whose arguments are full of buried resentments. Look how a discussion of Steven Spielberg’s films segues to a dig about artists’ later works. And it’s great to see the power dynamic subtly change as Ushio is blocked and Noriko finds her voice.
Heinzerling cleverly mixes present-day footage with home movies, old photos and even another doc on then rising star Ushio for maximum emotional effect. What emerges is a complex, feminist look at the act of creation, but also a touching portrait of enduring love.
