简介：AHarvardgraduateandself-describedaddictivepersonality(hisscriptsfor"TheGambler"and"ThePick-UpArtist"arelargelyautobiographical),Mr.Tobackisalsoanengagingraconteurwhorecountspastsexualandpharmaceuticalexploitswithsomepride.Yetscenesonthesetofhis2004movie,"WhenWillIBeLoved,"offeronlyfrustratingglimpsesofadirectingstylethatthrivesonimprovisation,interruptedastheyarebyaparadeofcelebrityadmirers.RobertDowneyJr.,admittedlyakindredspirit,likenshisfriendtoShakespeare,whileRogerEbertsuggeststhatself-indulgenceisanunmistakablemarkofgreatness.TheathleteJimBrownconcurs,wistfullyrecallingtheorgiesofyesteryear.LesseffusiveisWoodyAllen;perhapshewasn'tinvited. Jareckiwastesnotimegettingdowntobusiness.Thefirstimageonscreenisofthegreatfinalshotfrom"Fingers,"inwhichashatteredHarveyKeitelsitsnaked,lookingintothecamera.It'sthepictureofamanwhohasgonesofarbeyondhismoralandpsychologicallimitsthathe'llnevercomeback.ThisisfollowedbysexscenesfromvariousTobackmovies,whichareinturnfollowedbyscenesofgraphicviolence,while,overthesoundtrackJoeyLaurenAdams,asaphilosophyprofessorin"HarvardMan,"talksaboutthedifferencesbetweenfearanddread.It'sassuccinctasummationofthemoralandintellectualscopeoftheTobackuniverseasyoucanhopetogetinunderaminute. "TheOutsider"followsTobackoverthecourseof12days,asheshootshismostrecentpicture,"WhenWillIBeLoved"(2004),"starringNeveCampbellandDominicChianese(UncleJunioron"TheSopranos").Withthecreationanddistributionofthatfilmashisdocumentary'sanchor,JareckiproceedstotellthestoryofToback'scareerandpersonalobsessions,hisboutswithcompulsivegambling,hissexualexplorationsandhisyouthfulexperimentationwithLSD,whichendedindisaster. Alongtheway,JareckigetsinsightfulcommentsfromWoodyAllen,footballgreatJimBrown,BrookeShields,HarveyKeitel,NormanMailerandespeciallyRobertDowneyJr.,whohasmadethreeTobackfilmsandcouldalmostbecalledToback'sscreenalterego.AskedhowhefeltafterfirstreadingoneofToback'sscripts,Downeysays,"IfeltlikeShakespearedidn'tdie." UnderJarecki'sscrutiny,Tobackcomesacrossasfunnyandidiosyncratic,manipulativeinagenialway,andfullyawareofthenatureandmessageofhiswork.Foranartistwhoisattractedtoextremes,thisabilitytostandataremoveandobjectivelylookatandunderstandwhatheisdoinghasservedTobackwell.It'sprobablythecrucialdifferencebetweenhimandotherviscerallydrivenfilmmakers,suchasAbelFerrara.Seeinghimselffromtheoutsidekeepshimfromgettinglostandallowshisworktomaintainatightstructureandasenseofhumor. "TheOutsider"showsthehighsandlowsofmakingfilmsoutsidetheHollywoodsystem,whenthefocusandexhilarationofthefilmmakingisfollowedbyastruggletofinddistribution.Afteralltheseyears,thestrugglestillseemstotakeTobackbysurprise.Butthen,theironyisasabsurdasit'sterrible:Sometimesthepriceofmakingmoviesworthseeingisthatfewpeoplegettoseethem. Namedforauteurd'excésJamesToback,whosecareersinceFingershasbeenonebigguiltypleasure,NicholasJarecki'sTheOutsiderisamongthegreatdocsaboutmoviemaking;you'dcompareittoHeartsofDarknessandBurdenofDreamsifonlyToback,anotoriousgambler,hadwonthechipstoindulgehimselfasthoroughlyonlocationashisaddictivepersonalitywouldprefer.Heretheindiehustler'sequivalentofdirectorialjunglemadnessistaking$2millionfromBritishbankersonconditionofstartingtoshootascript,anyscript,inlessthanamonth;afewshortdaysintothetwo-week(!)productionofWhenWillIBeLoved,Toback'sNewWave–in–NewYorkdittywithNeveCampbellasapenthouse-loungingfemmefatale,thefilmmakerhaseightuncastrolesandashitloadofdialoguelefttowrite.Pontificatingoffthecuff,Tobackcouldbedescribinghisownnarcissist'sm.o.when,withcharacteristicmodesty,hecallsLovedan"explorationofsexualandpsychologicalandphilosophicalcapacity"—thisbeforegivingblow-by-blowdirectiontoFrederickWellerandthreenubileblondesforanendearinglygratuitousménageàquatresceneinsunnyCentralPark.…