Double Play: James Benning and Richard Linklater (2013)
In 1985, former oil rig worker Richard Linklater began a film screening society in Austin, Texas, that aimed to show classic art-house and experimental films to a budding community of cinephiles. Eventually incorporating as a nonprofit, the newly branded Austin Film Society raised enough money to fly in their first out-of-town filmmaker: James Benning. Accepting the invitation, Benning met Linklater and the two began to develop a personal and intellectual bond, leading to many future encounters. Starting in the 1960s, Benning had been creating low budget films mostly on his own, while Linklater had just begun to craft his first shorts. The filmmakers have remained close even as their careers have diverged. After the cult success of Slacker, Linklater went on to make films with Hollywood support. Benning, meanwhile, has stayed close to his roots and is mainly an unknown figure in mainstream film culture.
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I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.
This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.
This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.
Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.
Double Play is a film that delves into the themes and methods of two great contemporary filmmakers; Richard Linklater and James Benning. It charts their professional relationship, and the various thematic similarities that link their work. This is done through clips of their films, archive footage, and primarily an in-depth conversation between the two as they play tennis and baseball on Linklater's country-side property. This film would lack context if you were not already familiar with at least one, if not both, of these filmmakers - having said that, fans will be thoroughly engaged by the insightful exploration into the philosophical and stylistic approach of these two wonderful artists. Not a long film, but one that will satisfy and inspire filmmakers and fans alike.