Art is a very subjective art form. People have spent centuries arguing about the motivation and meaning behind various works, and there are some who just don’t get it at all. Just as high-brow movies that might take themselves too seriously are easy to gently – or not so gently – mock, so too is art since it seems that the public is sometimes willing to digest just about anything. The plot of The Gallerist, which involves covering up an accidental death by disguising it as part of the provocative piece, isn’t all that far-fetched, even if it does stretch at times to fully embrace its absurdity.
Miami-based gallery owner Paulina Polinski (Natalie Portman) is preparing to show the work of rising artist Stella Burgess (Da’Vine Joy Randolph). When intolerable art influencer Dalton Hardberry (Zach Galifianakis) shows up to taunt and belittle Paulina, he accidentally slips on a puddle of water created by the broken air conditioning system and impales himself on one of Stella’s pieces. Backed into a corner when crowds show up moments later, Paulina works with her loyal but stressed assistant Kiki Gorman (Jenna Ortega) and her high-powered aunt Marianne (Catherine Zeta-Jones) to not only pretend that Dalton’s dead body is a constructed part of the art but also to sell it at a high price to give the gallery a much-needed infusion of cash.
This is the third feature film from director Cathy Yan, whose much smaller debut Dead Pigs premiered at Sundance in 2018 and was followed up by the comic book movie Birds of Prey. This film has an energy all its own, which turned frantic from that key moment. The pulsing score from Andrew Orkin and Joseph Shirley, with assistance from music editor Zak Millman, adds considerable weight and intensity to numerous moments when Paulina attempts to reset and take charge of the situation. Cinematographer Federico Cesca’s camera turns sideways to focus sharply on her walk and the flow of the gallery as countless witnesses gawk over something that she desperately wants to hide but is instead forced to invite even more eyes to cover up what’s happened on her watch.
These technical flourishes assist a film whose plot is often prone to excess, particularly when collector Cristos (Daniel Brühl) rolls in to check out the work and Paulina’s ex Tom (Sterling K. Brown) storms in to try to exert his influence over the woman whose career he believes he made. The male energy is a definite disruptor, with just one male character, security guard Piranha Doug (Youssef Kerkour), as a kindhearted individual who isn’t fully consumed by ego. While Paulina’s appearance, with her short-cut white hair and chic shoes, and personality do feel laced with superficiality, she’s had to work much harder than her male counterparts and is extraordinarily driven not to give up as a result. This film offers a worthwhile opportunity to see women supporting each other, even if that solidarity involves the continued cover-up of a crime which also constitutes various degrees of fraud.
Paulina doesn’t feel like the type of character Portman tends to play, closest perhaps to her musician in Vox Lux were she operating all alone in a very different industry. Portman conveys Paulina’s frantic energy and the cutthroat nature she’s developed as a shield well. The rest of the ensemble, which includes Charli XCX as the one person looking for Dalton – his girlfriend – fulfills their parts well, and it’s refreshing to see Brown play someone with charismatic bravado. Ortega is the film’s best asset as Kiki, knowledgeable and able to thrive under pressure, provided she can keep from committing every time she thinks about what they’re doing. Her turn contains infinitely more energy than her much more muted, antisocial Wednesday Addams, and it’s fun to see Zeta-Jones paired again with her but in an extremely separate context. Yan, with co-writer James Pedersen, has crafted a high-wire caper film prone to excess but kept interesting by its music and camera angles. It also offers plenty to consider about what art means and the potential of real life to serve as a thought-provoking canvas.
Movie Rating: 6/10
The Gallerist premieres in the Premieres section at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival.
