A drugged-out, detached rockstar is destroying himself as he attempts to write a song. This may be due to Colson Baker’s personal experiences as Machine Gun Kelly depicting Taurus. His inability to cope with stardom, fortune or sycophantic lackeys is an ancient story. There are no unexpected elements in this typical self-destruction storyline. It floats around a surreal drug induced haze of spinning cameras and colored lens flares. The film also has substance and not just style. Baker does have some tangible magnetism on screen that slightly kept me watching.
A disturbing event occurs at the beginning without warning, which becomes important later on. An up-and-coming singer, Lena (Naomi Wild) is excited when Cole Taurus (Baker) calls her into the recording studio. He’s high and distant but knows exactly what vocals are needed here.” Cole lets her see his lucky crystal quartz stone. In an hour he would not remember that he had met Lena while driving up to his rented Hollywood Hills mansion . As he drinks by the poolside, Ilana (Maddie Hasson), his over-burdened personal assistant watches him closely.’ His daughter came two days ago but he hasn’t even found time for her ” she calls him Cole’.
He spends the night with a hooker using drugs. The next morning Ray (Scoot McNairy) shouts at his manager . Get it together! They gave him the best studio they got there are business meetings happening and a tour being planned . That album must be completed by Cole . A petulant Cole explodes at Ilana . She curses him for being his babysitter . In one fiery argument, she gets fired by him. A few minutes later she’s back at his side helping him fumble through an interview holding onto every word that comes out of her mouth ‘ C’mon baby you can do this!!!’ His life is a blur of coke snorting one night stands and strip club boozing. But he can never get the song out of his head. He has to finish it somehow.
Kurt Cobain reminded me of Taurus. I don’t think this means that the Nirvana frontman was sleeping with hookers all day long or screaming at them when things went wrong. His drug addiction overshadowed his overwhelming musical talent . At least Cole still have some creative spark amidst all his disappointments . There’s a reason he’s famous but he gets lost in success. It has made him weak and dependent, unable to be a father . Ilana is like a mother to him in the film, which might make her the most relatable character here. For Cole she is always there for him at any point in time, even though she winces from blows caused by his stormy personality.” Don’t you know how much I love you?” She asked.
Director/ writer Tim Sutton (Dark Night, Funny Face) gives different perspectives on Cole’s decline. Everything seen through Cole’s eyes is junkie trudging through extravagance . On the other hand Ilana, Ray and sound engineers are seen clearly “He is the one who controls our finances” said Ray about Cole’”Ilana track him down after he bailed on us after going on bender.” She must watch him constantly as part of her work.’ She turned away just for a second”. The cinematography started irritating me somewhere towards its end but one should admit that it plays an important part in what Sutton intends.
Taurus needed another gear for the narrative”. Nothing happens unexpectedly. Baker did well and so did Hasson playing their support role perfectly fine . This isn’t new territory – spoiled wasted musician in downward spiral Megan Fox appears briefly, seemingly Kelly’s girlfriend not on screen only; if this has anything more than superficial significance to me , I wouldn’t know.
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