Review: ‘Mondays With William’ a flawed portrait of an artist

An expansion on a multipart human-interest story that ran on KCAL9 in 2010, “Mondays With William” explores the relationship between William Laga, a homeless, schizophrenic artist who’s been a familiar sight on the streets of Westwood for decades, and Parisian Marcelle Danan, the gallery owner who takes him under her wing. On the first day of each week, Laga’s benefactor picks him up to buy canvas and “colors,” and he goes to work, creating gorgeous, marbleized abstract paintings.

Unfortunately, as much as Danan raves about Laga’s process, director Steve Beebe shows just snatches of it, and his art is discussed only superficially. As a result, viewers may appreciate the beauty of his work, but the uninitiated especially will find themselves grasping for context that the fawning “art patrons” at his shows fail to provide.

The documentary does use Laga’s story to open up an important larger discussion about mental illness and homelessness in Los Angeles, but Danan herself admits that Laga’s condition — he complains about contamination and “stink,” and he suffers from prosecutorial and grandiose delusions — is “soft and nice.” Plus, he’s talented, so he’s easy to help. Until he’s not. “Mondays” also exposes the limitations of altruism.

What at first seems like your typical inspirational, feel-good documentary gets a stark, if a bit melodramatic, lesson in reality, but Beebe ends his film abruptly and deeply unsatisfactorily. There’s clearly more to the story. What’s not clear is why we’re not made privy to what it is.

“Mondays With William.” No MPAA rating. Running time: 1 hour, 30 minutes. At Laemmle Music Hall 3, Beverly Hills.