I think it'd be wrong to say a doc is only as interesting as its subject, but in some cases, a doc lives and dies with where the camera is pointed. Here, it's pointed at one of the greatest artists of the last 50 years, and the chance to see the sensual, almost sexual, process that goes into creating his often violent abstract works makes this movie worth seeing. Richter's perfectionism is fascinating to watch: any artist this side of Cezanne would kill to create something as dramatically beautiful as the paintings Richter whitewashes in what could be considered the film's climactic scene. When Belz attempts visual trickery, though, the movie stagnates, and the clear but somewhat grainy digital photography makes me mourn the death of 35mm even more. Sometimes it's better just to point and shoot.

A pretty solemn portrait, which is appropriate for someone as equally measured and prolific as Richter. My man Gerhard slings paint and does his hustle while some John Cage music plays... if you're into that sort of thing...

it's hard to ask for anything more with this film. it's interesting the way gerhard states that his methods, as well as a lot of artistic practices, don't necessarily have [or need] the language to express what they're 'about'. rather, the work speaks for itself. i'm a strong advocate that not everything can be expressed through discourse, which is why i can't complain that there wasn't a lot of concept addressed. but i will say that the few archived interviews with him as a younger artist we're really insightful and he seemed like he had loads of energy.

A pretty solemn portrait, which is appropriate for someone as equally measured and prolific as Richter. My man Gerhard slings paint and does his hustle while some John Cage music plays... if you're into that sort of thing...

Great to see how he creates his paintings and that the paintings just "happen" while many critics try to give them meanings or context that isn't there. Still, 3.5 stars only as the film has lengths.

it's hard to ask for anything more with this film. it's interesting the way gerhard states that his methods, as well as a lot of artistic practices, don't necessarily have [or need] the language to express what they're 'about'. rather, the work speaks for itself. i'm a strong advocate that not everything can be expressed through discourse, which is why i can't complain that there wasn't a lot of concept addressed. but i will say that the few archived interviews with him as a younger artist we're really insightful and he seemed like he had loads of energy.

any documentary that shows one of the worlds most revered living artist at work for extended sequences is going to be important by default

No es un Jackson Pollock, es un Richter. El arte con visión monocromática es absurdamente aburrido.

Quite literally like watching paint dry.

If you're into abstract art, especially the paintings of Gerhard Richter than this is a must see. The film is mostly Gerhard Richter painting, hence the title and I mean you just watch him paint.

Interesting that a film about a painter who's so formally unconstrained is so formally constrained; by eschewing talking heads and voiceover and remaining locked into her observational style, Belz winds up feeding us basic narrative information in belated and confusing manners. On the other hand, I'm not here for "the story of Richter": I'm here to see him work, and in lengthy sequences, we get to see just that, as he tackles multiple abstract paintings, repainting them again and again. Not remotely a definitive work, but for someone like me kind of essential regardless.