Film Review Of “TABLOID VIVANT”: Kyle Broom’s Dance Through The Flames Of The Artist’s Creative Journey

By: Vernon Nickerson

Writer-Director Kyle Broom’s epic horror fantasy of a man and a woman’s obsession with fame, life and art is a gorgeously gritty deep dive into the 21st-century lives of 2 young artists obsessed with creating their magnum opus. “Tabloid Vivant” cleverly draws upon the true story of acclaimed psychoanalyst Lou Salomé, who famously indulged in her own dalliances with renowned German philosophers Friedrich Nietzsche and his friend and colleague Paul Rée. Broom’s well-crafted tale delightfully skewers the dominant culture’s current obsession with fame and its perennial worship of typically psychologically tortured and usually dead artistes*. Indeed, how the players move* within their bodies and in synchronicity with the soundtrack of this film is critical to drawing in and holding the audience’s rapt attention throughout the 90+ minute run time.

Painter Maximilien Klinkau is played with just the right emotional trajectory from quirky painter to epically obsessed creative genius by actor Jesse Woodrow (TV’s Charmed). As Writer and student of Nietzsche, Elizabeth Short / Lou Salomé, actor Tamzin Brown’s parallel descent into obsession and creativity perfectly complements Woodrow’s Klinkau. Actor Chris Carlisle as Rob, the former lover of Elizabeth and buddy of Maximilien, contrasts the two principal players by remaining grounded and plugged into the Los Angeles community of artists and voracious hipster consumers of art. Rob’s devolution is a finely nuanced fusion of obsession, followed by grief and anger at the loss of his own obsession. Actor Amber Friendly gives a pitch perfect rendition in a small role as Miriam, “representing” those voracious hipster consumers.

None of Maximilien and Elizabeth’s erotic scenes are gratuitous. All of the sexual intimacy appears as a beautiful and natural union of the two artists’ creative obsessions. To see how far Maximilien will go to create his masterpiece and the sacrifices Elizabeth makes to chronicle the artist’s journey, you will simply have to see this summer treat. “Tabloid Vivant” will screen in Chicago at The Doc Theater July 9.

Tabloid Vivant 1h 45 min

Director: Kyle Broom