Jisoe

Just saw this and thought it was hilarious. This review I read rang true.

Jisoe is the guy you walk past on the street and hope he doesn't ask you if you can spare some change. The slightly dodgy looking guy who you think is on the make, looking for some kind of scam. He's definitely scruffy looking, does engage in the odd spot of shoplifting and is not above knocking back a couple of bongs which he repeatedly refers to as buges, though the reality is that he probably wants to be left alone. You see he's got a young girlfriend who's pregnant with his baby, but more importantly an unrelenting love of graffiti and even more importantly of bombing the train system. And he's good too. I've seen some of his pieces about; because that's the other thing he's local. This film sees him traveling around looking for trains to bomb. It's shot on video, sometimes quite rough, particularly when he's spraying the trains. Though this only further sucks you into his world, the viewer right there feeling the tension and exhilaration. Though ultimately it's a film about Jisoe the person, the personal sacrifices for his art and how he deals with the pressures that this passion brings. The series of interviews not only illuminate the local graffiti scene, but also his code and personal philosophies which underpin his character. This is a much less polished and far more enjoyable version of Kenny, as we are drawn into Jisoe's world and feel compassion and respect with for someone who's apparently anti social behaviour places himself at odds with mainstream society. He comes out with some interesting points, that graffiti isn't prosecuted because it's ugly or damaging, it's because the artists unlike large corporations haven't paid to use the space. They've just taken it, and this can't be tolerated. The use of language is great too, totally Australian. My only negative would be if you are not Australian you may miss some of the humour.

Before I begin I just want to say this is in no fact a critical analysis of the film Jisoe it is just a message. For who would I be to criticise jisoes actions, that would be some sort of heartless and relentless memento for the Internet to read .This isn't a movie nor is it a documentary . its an unwillingly attempt to show the world the psychological affairs of a bruised human with all the all the same bones and bearings as the next person. It is no debate that this footage is released on ethical grounds, however the world isn't fair ....

Jisoe is a smack to your head with a bruising bash of depression and a necessity for local and a greater social justice . It is an authentic documentation of evolution and life and should be a great wake up call to the greater public . Jisoe is passively and hopelessly awaiting our approval and help but again and again, us as a society fail him . I see Jisoe on the streets of melbourne regularly and am reminded that he is a soul like the rest of us . Just take a second to imagine if your life was documented so intimately and uploaded on the internet for the entire world to be viewed as entertainment and comedic references . We need to look beyond our own ignorance and ego and realise the irony that we live in. WAKE UP LADS