The writer/directors had what should have and could have been a great story with a great character but instead they failed at trying to make art instead of just a story about an artist himself! So disappointing considering they had the biographical content to use as the structural bones to an interesting story about this tremendous artist his career his life and his struggles. Taking themselves too seriously and making these artistic choices made the movie pretentious and confusing instead of enjoyable! Despite every and all efforts to ruin this movie they still did not ruin the movie completely thanks to the already interesting character himself with his struggles and demons. They almost completely failed to mention the artists most famous work "the scream" which is one of the most recognized paintings of all time which they did not talk about and if you didn't know already might not even realize this was the artist who made the work. I gave 5 stars only for the story behind the artist himself and his life, without his being who the movie was supposed to be about the movie would get 1 star, they tried making the story all about themselves and their "artistic" choices instead of about the person/artist himself!