Gus Van Sant’s Last Days is an incredible film that provides a haunting and powerful insight into the last days of Kurt Cobain. Though the name of the main character has been changed from Kurt to Blake, and the location of his ultimate demise changed from a Seattle greenhouse to one in upstate New York, this movie serves as a tribute to one of the most iconic musicians of our time.
The film follows Blake (played by Michael Pitt) as he navigates his lonely days leading up to his suicide. Van Sant takes an incredibly creative approach as he attempts to convey Cobain’s inner turmoil in a way that captures the essence of Cobain without trying too hard to “glamorize” him. Scenes are slow and often uncomfortable as we watch Blake drift through everyday tasks like making cereal, watching television, and mumbling dialogue to a Yellow Pages ad salesman. We can’t help but feel a sense of impending doom that hangs over every scene throughout the entire movie.
Van Sant makes use of cameos by famous people such as Kim Gordon, who appears pretty much re-enacting her own intervention with Cobain during his life, and Harmony Korine who plays an acquaintance telling a hilarious story about playing Dungeons and Dragons with Jerry Garcia. The accumulation of small moments such as these create a strong sense of dread and inevitability.
Overall, Last Days is truly unlike any other rock biopic out there – it doesn’t focus on gratifying plot lines or dramatic moments but rather provides viewers with an honest look at what was happening internally for Cobain during those last few days before he left us forever. If you want to dive deeper into understanding who Kurt Cobain was and gain insight into what drove him off this world then Last Days is definitely worth your time!
