Alexa: I initially had some of the same hesitations as Joel going into “Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry” - that it would be way too pretentious about his art, that it would perpetuate the idea that if you have any criticisms about art it’s because you just don’t understand it. But while the documentary does highlight a couple of Weiwei’s installations, it’s more about the man than the art. It’s an intimate, captivating portrait of an activist first and foremost. He is unrelenting in his confrontation with the Chinese government and fearless under pressure. The documentary does an excellent job of conveying how meticulous and calculating he is in his activism. In today’s political climate people rarely think before they tweet, but he’s extremely deliberate in his use of the platform to further his cause. He’s not a flawless person (the film spends a fair amount of time on his relationship with his son, the result of an extramarital affair), but that doesn’t detract from our perception that he is genuinely passionate about the welfare of the Chinese people. Understanding his activism helps viewers understand his art on a deeper level than a documentary focused solely on the art itself. I was also intrigued by the film’s exploration of collective activism and collective art. Weiwei is certainly the leader here, but neither his art nor his activism would be as powerful without the rest of his team. Alison Klayman’s direction is beautiful, and she artfully allows her subjects to tell their own story.
Joel: I’m always a little bit apprehensive to watch a documentary about a particular artist, especially when that artist is famous for the more shocking or “raw” aspects of the art they create. More often than not, the movie descends into a one sided discussion of what exactly constitutes art, and why whatever “thing” the artist is doing, should be considered a great piece of art, destined to change the world. There is a little bit of that in this movie. Ai Weiwei has definitely produced some pieces that will cause some people to say that it isn’t art, a criticism which the movie is all too jump in front of and declare said art to be critique proof because of “art” status. However, this ends up being a very brief part of the movie and while it does teeter on the edge of eye rolling self importance for a minute there, it quickly transitions into the main story of the movie, which brings the movie into a different light entirely.
Ai Weiwei’s work as an activist and a critic of the chinese government makes for a really riveting documentary. In this context Ai Weiwei comes across as an instantly likable and sympathetic hero.
Chris: Never Sorry paints a picture as Ai Weiwei as being more than just someone with celebrity status saying "someone needs to do something about this" but ultimately leaving the matter at that but Weiwei is willing to actually do something that will hold the government's feet to the fire, or at least attempt to do so. My favorite part of the movie is shortly after it's announced that the Chinese government will be demolishing Weiwei's studio, his fans and supporters gathered at the site and ate river crabs as a form of protest even without Weiwei's presence. It's a powerful documentary showing what a government is willing to do to avoid being transparent when it pertains to negative information about said government and what the government is willing to do to people trying to uncover the information on behalf of the people.
Jason: I’ve been aware of Ai Weiwei and his body of work for a while now. I really first heard his name when he went missing in 2011. I was really expecting this documentary to focus more on his art and the unapologetically shocking nature of it, introducing his brand of “hit you in the face” exhibitionism to a new audience. What we got, however, has so much more value and depth. He is so passionate about not only his country and its welfare but also justice for people in general. He has put himself deliberately in the crosshairs of China’s government because he knows that people are watching. Personally, he seems aloof and uncaring about his own wellbeing. Even his family relationships take a back seat to his greater purpose of exposing injustice.
The structure of this documentary is concise. There is no added fluff or ornamentation. It purely take Weiwei’s life and works and places them in context with the world in which we all live. I would really like to get my hands on his own documentaries, particularly the two mentioned in this film. They look raw and unyielding and totally intriguing! His art is very conceptual and may not be the easiest to appreciate but I think it’s definitely worth digging into.
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