Rivers and Tides

A solid, sensitive portrait of the Scottish artist Andy Goldsworthy, showing his method of using natural materials (stone, vegetation, icicles, wool, whatever) to creat often transient, three-dimensional works that explore his ideas about how his own energy relates to that of the landscape. True, he confesses that his creations say far more than he can in words. But articulacy is not the problem here (he's very eloquent) so much as the aura of earnestness. He registers, however, as most likeable, and is well served by a movie that's as clear, contemplative and just occasionally prone to picturesque prettiness as his art. Fred Frith's music helps no end to leaven the heavy duty wisdom. It's hard not to smile when Goldsworthy discusses the need to get your mind beyond a sheep's woolliness in order to gain a deep (he's very big on 'deep') understanding of its sheepy essence.