Plot A biopic of the life and times of American photographer Diane Arbus, who began in the fashion industry and ended up building her portfolio with photos of 'freaks and misfits'.
Review
With its subtitle, “An Imaginary Portrait Of Diane Arbus”, this tribute to the celebrated and controversial photographer Diane Arbus confesses that it is not a conventional biography, but a fantasy expressing her inner experience. Well, alright then! Most biopics of artists make it all up anyway, but it’s good of them to say so.
Still, art lovers’ hackles may rise as it offers a simplistic, if bizarro, vision of Arbus’ artistic awakening. Diane here is devoted wife, mother and assistant to her fashion-photographer husband Allan (Ty Burrell). Her vulnerability is explained by meeting her wealthy, overbearing parents. She’s stifled. We know this because she sneaks outside to unbutton her prim dress and breathe. All she needed, apparently, was to meet a man — admittedly an unusual one — to teach her that oddity is the real beauty. We know this before she ever snaps her camera because all his chums are lookalikes of Arbus’ ’60s photographic subjects: dwarves, a woman without arms, transvestites, twins.
Give it up for Nicole Kidman. She seems to have an affinity with frustrated artists who committed suicide. It’s another adventurous choice of hers to work with the director (Steven Shainberg) and screenwriter (Erin Cressida Wilson) of the bold Secretary. And she’s well matched in the acting stakes by Robert Downey Jr., whose Lionel, circus freak turned reclusive wigmaker, turns his top-floor flat into what looks like the tower in an enchanted castle. Unmasked, every inch of him is covered with luxuriant hair; he’s a dead ringer for the Beast in Cocteau’s La Belle Et La Bête. There are also obvious allusions to Alice In Wonderland and a humorous delight in some far-fetched elements, although other notions teeter towards silliness (check out jealous husband Allan’s sprouting beard).
Downey Jr. is not just his usual great value; he is spellbinding. Those dark eyes penetrate through his pelt, exerting a supernatural charm that makes a memorably erotic love scene believable and affecting. Kidman, exposed without the assistance of any physical peculiarities, meets the singular challenge of conveying an artist’s inner journey with a quiet, subtle, passionate intelligence. More likeable, some might feel, than the real Arbus or her provocative images.
Verdict Far-out touches and liberal application of metaphor are compensated for by intensity and two mesmerising performances.
Fur is a grand tale about the real photographer Diane Arbus and her odd journey through her first beginings of her work. I don't really know about the real woman, I just saw the movie and thought it was a really sad tale but with beautiful moments and outstanding perfomances. For once, Nicole Kidman is suprising and very good as the lead role falling for Robert Downey Jr who is spellbinding and has something about him that makes you fall for his charms. A very good movie with sad bits, brilliant... Read More
When is a biopic not a biopic? When it’s an imaginary portrait of course. Plenty of films have been accused of manipulating the facts and fictionalising the stories of true-life characters in the past, but Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbusts retaliation in first with the unusual step of including a disclaimer in the title. Just in case we don’t get the idea, another disclaimer precedes the opening credits which tells us that this film is meant as “a tribute to Diane that invents characters and... Read More
Jesus, what an extraordinarily dull piece of cinema this is. It could indeed have been 30 minutes shorter, but even then it would've been trying my patience. Kidman's ok as Arbus, Downey Jr good, but this really feels like a missed opportunity. Gorgeous to look at, it was the only thing that made me stay the course. it just felt like the Director was reaching further than his abilities would take him. One of those unfortunate films whereby the more you look at the screen, the less there is to s... Read More
This film leaves no doubt in your mind that this is not a factual portrayal of Diane Arbus, nor is it your standard biopic. I knew little about Diane Arbus prior to viewing this film and to be honest, I probably still don't but the written prologue was such that I should not be left in any doubt as to the veracity of this film.
However, this does not detract from the film, being instead a character study of a woman emerging from a life down at heel which requires a stellar performance. Nic... Read More
Classic
Excellent
Good
Fair
Tragic
