Too many people have never heard of Lee Miller. In the past decade or so, the model turned war photographer began to get a moment in the sun, but it has taken until now for a biopic to come together. Now, we have one in Lee and it’s a throwback film, for better and worse. It’s elegant and stacked with strong actors, but with a sense of eating your vegetables that other biopics have been able to shake of late. The good outweighs the bad, but it’s close.
Lee lives and dies with its lead performance. Watching Miller come to life through Kate Winslet, who also produces and truly shepherded this story into existence, is actually very compelling. She’s too good an actress not to ace this role, and she’s incredibly invested, but the overall project struggles to match her sense of urgency.
This is the story of Lee Miller (Winslet), a fashion model who would go on to become a noted war photographer. Framed in flashbacks through an interview the older Miller is doing with journalist Antony Penrose (Josh O’Connor), we see her evolution. This 1977 conversation between the two takes us back to the key moments that moved her from a passive life to one fueled by trauma and a drive to do some good.
In 1938, Miller couldn’t have a care in the world. Spending time with the likes of Solange D’Ayen (Marion Cotillard) and Roland Penrose (Alexander Skarsgård), she’s aware that World War II looms, but life is good. Then, the war hits home, leading Miller to want to make a difference. So, she begins taking photographs for Vogue, under the eye of editor Audrey Withers (Andrea Riseborough). Eventually, she moves to the front lines, becoming an accredited American journalist, befriending LIFE photographer David E. Scherman (Andy Samberg) in the process. The photos she’d take would go on to stand the test of time.
Roadside AttractionsKate Winslet is the reason to see this flick. She’s wanted to get this done for years, so when it came time to shoot, she was more than ready. There’s energy and intensity from the actress, matching a lot of what she’s been able to accomplish in the past. Winslet is in top form, plain and simple. The cast around her is solid, but despite the talents of Marion Cotillard, Josh O’Connor, Andrea Riseborough, and Alexander Skarsgård, they all feel more like cameos. Winslet is who feels essential in Lee. Other supporting players here include Noémie Merlant, James Murray, and more, but Winslet is the star.
Cinematographer turned director Ellen Kuras mounts this film fairly efficiently, if without too much overt passion. The screenplay by Liz Hannah, Marion Hume, and John Collee goes through the biopic motions, giving Winslet plenty to do, but often feeling like it’s just checking boxes. It does feel like without this central performance, Lee would come up short.
Lee is way too conventional, but Winslet is too good to ignore. So, we have a decision for audiences. Is a great performance from Winslet enough to see an otherwise middle of the road picture? For me, the answer is just barely yes, though your mileage may vary…
SCORE: ★★★
