Bukowski: Born Into This

John Dullaghan's 2003 documentary shows the poet Charles Bukowski both closely and without defending him. Archive material takes up much of it: poetry readings, drunken interviews, the late fame that came after years in the post office. The beatings and humiliation of his childhood are treated openly as the source of his writing. The film does not elevate him; his mistreatment of his partner in front of a camera is included and left without commentary. Admirers such as Sean Penn, Bono and Harry Dean Stanton speak, but the most notable testimony comes from his wife Linda. The result is a portrait that carries admiration and discomfort at once. Who it's for: readers of Bukowski and viewers who like documentaries about writers. Who it's not for: anyone who would rather not watch scenes of alcoholism and abuse of a woman; the film does not conceal them.