Party Monster (2003)

My, how time moves all things. It used to be the first thing I would think of when I envisioned Macaulay Culkin was the tow-headed youth doing his best impression of Van Gogh’s “The Scream” in Christopher Columbus movies. Now, that image has been permanently replaced by an older version of the actor sharing affectionate moments with Wilmer Valderrama and bopping around the living room with Seth Green to “Two of Hearts.” It’s a stark contrast, but a testament to Culkin’s desire to stand on his own as an actor, shedding links to his kiddie parts of the past and embracing challenging and daring roles, including the notorious Michael Alig in 2003’s Party Monster.

Culkin stars in the film alongside fellow Robot Chicken alumni Seth Green in the story of an infamous New York club promoter’s ascension to fame and his catastrophic fall amidst drug addiction, scandal, and murder. Working his way up from a bus boy, and under the tutelage of professional partier James St. James (Green), Alig becomes one of the most successful promoters in New York. He finds a beefy DJ boyfriend, convinces his boss to throw the wildest theme parties on the Eastern seaboard, and even does the talk show circuit in search of other club kid hopefuls. He rides high for awhile, but soon his backstabbing, delusions of grandeur and out-of-control drug habits pave the way for his downward spiral. Think Citizen Kane, but bisexual, drug addled and a lot more colorful.

The young and talented cast does a sufficient job of telling the story. I appreciated the disorienting POV shifts established early on as Culkin and Green compete for our attention. It’s an interesting way to shatter the fourth wall and has a strange way of reeling us in. The starburst color palette of the film is also quite impressive. The set design does a spectacular job of offering the same sense of visual stimulation the characters are getting from their pills and nose candy. The greens and reds are so lush and vivid they seem to breathe on their own. It’s what makes Gregg Araki movies so memorable from a uniquely visual standpoint.

While the performances are not Oscar-worthy, they are very sincere and have some genuine moments. Seth Green does a decent job of not turning this into a mocking, overtly flamboyant performance, but exhibits a skilled, steady hand, especially in James St. James’s calmer moments with Michael. Chloe Sevigny and Natasha Lyonne also have some noteworthy turns as a couple of club kids recruits.

However, the performers can only do so much. They seem to yearn for meatier material to work with, but it’s just not there. For example, an epic sense of romance between Michael and Keoki (Valderrama) is shoved down our throats, but the on-screen action never lives up to the hype. “We’re two peas in a pod…you’re the Yoda to my Luke,” Alig tells St. James.

There are also certain character inconsistencies that weigh down the proceedings. How does Angel go from being the meek little newcomer to almost overnight a lethal, menacing drug dealer? The transition is too rapid and doesn’t make much sense. The film also has two directors which are like professional football teams with two quarterbacks, often adhering to the adage “When you have two, you don’t have one.”

Party Monster is not the kind of film that people should run out and rent, but it’s not completely missable, either. It has its charms, eccentricities and flaws, much like the characters portrayed within. Green and Culkin are an ideal pairing because of their child acting histories, and both have bloomed into seasoned professionals willing to take on daring material and delivered gutsy, solid performances.

This is one party worth attending!