Future Language: The Dimensions of Von LMO
(Lori Felker)

I haven’t been this disoriented or puzzled by a music documentary since Jeff Feuerzeig’s The Devil and Daniel Johnston. Lori Felker’s candid, unsettling, and often times amusing Future Language examines the life of Frankie Cavallo, otherwise known as Von LMO. A musician of sorts, the intrepid traveler is prone to rambling about his capacity to span time and space, whether it be his brief existence as a head of lettuce or the divine happenstance behind his band’s logo. Mileage on Von LMO’s bullshit will vary (I mentally checked out on the man saying anything especially relevant or interesting once he discussed his branding process involving women), but it’s really Felker’s stylistic approach that elevates the film and her subject to greater heights. Her vivid use of montage and rattling sound design mirror Von LMO’s personality and artistic contributions, all as she attempts to reconcile her own mixed emotions about the artist. Here’s one of those rare, frank examples of documentary filmmaking where the filmmaker’s relationship with the subject proves to be the most intriguing component of the feature.

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