The art of 'Exit Through the Gift Shop'

Defying any comfortable definitions about art, or about fiction and nonfiction, the ostensible documentary "Exit Through the Gift Shop" has a great title, but the movie behind it is less about the commercialization of art than how art presumes to exist in a disposable, post-Warhol culture.

Directed with a decided cleverness by the anonymous, celebrated British graffiti artist Banksy, "Exit" attempts to expand the reach and themes of Banksy's impermanent street art via the story of an obsessive-compulsive videomaker, whose curious success punches yet another hole in the concept of celebrity.

"Exit" focuses on Thierry Guetta, a French transplant to Los Angeles, who, when he isn't running his clothing shop, is running his camera - constantly. For over a decade, Guetta records the work of outlaw street artists, not just in L.A., but Paris.

Through a global network of graffitists, he meets the movement superstar, Shepard Fairey of the ubiquitous Andre the Giant stencils (and, later, the Obama / Hope poster). Then, through Fairey, he meets Banksy, who will no doubt become the star of the documentary Guetta is going to make out of all that unwatched footage. Except he doesn't. Or does he?

You don't want to lean too heavily on the high wire holding up Banksy's balancing act, lest you send everything toppling. But the film is briskly paced, funny, ironic and drolly narrated by actor Rhys Ifans, and there's nothing to buy on your way out the door.