NY Timeout - Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman’s mostly whiffed docudrama makes the influential poem by Allen Ginsberg (Franco) seem dull, ordinary, pedestrian instead of pioneering. The film crosscuts between the first reading of Howl at San Francisco’s Six Gallery in 1955; the obscenity trial that resulted from its publication; a mock interview in which the writer recalls pertinent moments in his life, such as his relationship with Peter Orlovsky (Aaron Tveit); and some animated sequences that visualize the four-part composition.
JoBlo:
When a decent poster for film comes out, I like to congratulate it by featuring it in an article. This is the case with the poster for Howl.
While Allen Ginsberg's poem "Howl" caused a literally controversy, this poster celebrates simplicity. It definitely reflects the time "Howl" was heard amongst the masses back in 1957. The top of the poster featuring Jon Hamm and David Strathairn looks like something ripped off the cover of a pulp novel.
