Great art transcends its creator. In this case, it also lays the foundation for a great film.

It is the trial itself - which Ginsberg did not attend - that is the real payoff here as Howl's defenders and detractors get their day in court.

Sadly, I found it only moderately enjoyable and rather smug, much like an average edition of the BBC's Arena.

Howl basically plays like a decent Sunday-afternoon TV docudrama. It may be considered by some to be art, but I imagine few will consider it to be cinema.