Peter Hujar’s Day: Finding Beauty in the Mundane

When it comes to film, stripping down to a barebones level leaves very little to hide behind, for better or worse. Either for creatively or budgetary reasons (or a combination of the two), these constraints can often bring out the best of a film, or the worst.  The margin of error in this case is narrow, so their odds of survival depend on the trust of audiences for the people behind them. Premiering at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, Peter Hujar’s Day sees acclaimed indie writer-director Ira Sachs team up with fellow indie darlings Ben Whishaw and Rebecca Hall for a unusual biopic whose structure will undoubtedly be the biggest point of contention against it. A one location, dialog heavy drama, it is a lot to take in, all within a very short 76 minute runtime. That being said, that is what the film is, for better or worse. Based on a recovered written transcript of a real recorded conversation in 1974 between writer Linda Rosenkranz and photographer Peter Hujar, it literally consists of two characters talking about the latter’s day. A film that revels in the mundane, doing a decent job at keeping a consistent tone throughout, but that does not change the fact that it is about two people talking. Though that premise alone may be tough for some audiences to wrap their minds around, the dynamic of Whishaw and Hall make it work.

In terms of plot, Peter Hujar’s Day is rather straightforward. Recording conversations with her artists friend for her next book, one of the artists Linda Rosenkranz (Hall) recorded was photographer Peter Hujar (Whishaw). While that tape was lost with time, a written transcript of their conversation was recovered, and that transcript would be the basis of the film. Adapting a transcript into a feature comes with its own set of challenges, the biggest being the lack of anything to hold on to. A snapshot of the time, the film offers up an interesting time capsule of the early 1970s. Despite the perceived constraints of the format of the film, at least on paper, Sachs keeps a nice flow, making use of Hujar’s apartment as the lone setting. Casting Whishaw and Hall certainly doesn’t hurt either, as they singlehandedly carry the weight of the film, especially the former, saddled with the vast majority of the dialog. Their chemistry makes the back-and-forth between them work. Though thin as characters, it is through the time audiences spend with Peter and Linda that we get to know them better and better understand them as people.

As Peter recounts his day, his account opens up a window into the vibrant early 1970s New York City art scene. His exploits, and the eccentric cast of characters he encountered along the way, made for some entertaining conversation. Not unfamiliar with that world, he and Linda’s exchange felt like a fun chat between friends. That insight into he and his process as an artist, and how it evolved over time, was compelling to watch. Meanwhile, Linda served as a great sounding board for Peter, listening and steering their conversation accordingly. However, as most conversations go, they have their ebbs and flows, and this one was no different. There was no pomp and circumstance to it, it was just two friends catching up with one another, and nothing more. Once the day was over, so was the film, simple.

Above all else, was holds the film together is Whishaw and Hall. The best part of Peter Hujar’s Day, as Peter and Linda, they made the most out of their circumstances, creating a fun exchange, even if some audiences may or may not care about what is being said. Not playing particularly deep characters, their job was to have audiences engaged with them and where the story was going and for that, they succeeded. Whishaw, in particular, is given a near-herculean task of memorizing so many lines of dialog as the film is centered around Peter’s day. Details, observations, inner thoughts or feelings, etc, he had a lot on his plate, but he handled it effortlessly, giving the story a unique perspective. While Hall was merely there for the ride, her dynamic with Whishaw facilitates the premise nicely.

Peter Hujar’s Day will not be for everyone but in spite of its simplicity and lack of flare, is a solid two-parter led by the reliable Ben Whishaw and Rebecca Hall.

still courtesy of Janus Films

If you liked this, please read our other reviews here and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter or Instagram or like us on Facebook.

Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.