I am not sure what I expected when I inserted this film in the player, maybe something fun about Georgia O'Keeffe's work, or maybe a neat coming of age story or an unknown facet. What I found was that Georgia O'Keeffe literally was about as dynamic as a old dish rag left to linger in the yesterday's dishwater. And what about that creep Stieglitz!? Seriously, the film should have been called "Stieglitz - with some O'Keeffe thrown in for sun-bleached color".
But really, I could have found some fun in watching the paint dry on a real O'Keeffe painting, as opposed to watching the entirety of this film. I pulled it out and relayed it to the two star category, because at its very least some New Mexican film crew had to labor their talent through what can only be imagined as some of the most dullest sides ever handed out to a film crew. I can't blame 'Lifetime: Television for women' entirely, because "Lizzie Borden Took an Ax" with Kristina Ricci was incredible for its modern take on an old tale, with some pretty fun soundtracks, and some pretty chic costumes.
Meanwhile, "Stieglitz - with some O'Keeffe thrown in for color" was tiresome in the first five minutes. I must admit, I love Jeremy Irons. Scar; Simon Gruber; Aramis, these are roles worthy of his talent. But wow, Irons must have been like, "'I can't' with this film, so I'll make Stieglitz the foremost Spencer Pratt of the O'Keeffe age." Which is why I warn, that this is a film about Stieglitz, who is portrayed as the quintessential Male chauvinist. And who knows, maybe he was, absolutely; but after viewing this film you are left without any doubt that he wasn't anything else.
O'Keeffe on the other hand, as portrayed in this film, lives up to the notion that the Art is what speaks, and that it is okay to relegate the artist to the background of humans making folly in their personal lives. And its best to ignore all their failings, because as I said Joan Allen's portrayal didn't leave you much room to imagine anything else. You end up incredibly disliking Joan Allen's O'Keeffe, not because what can be surmised as O'Keeffe's super subordinate life in the shadow of Stieglitz, 'male ego premier!', but because Allen brought absolutely nothing to portray O'Keeffe as anything but a means to an end to Stieglitz's career.
This film was less than disappointing, it was less than a borefest, it was something worthy of being pulled from the player barely 20 minutes into the show; it didn't even make for good background noise. Spare yourself the change in renting this film, and just go out and buy a copy of O'Keeffe's work, or better yet, buy an original, you'll learn far more in its presence than in this Lifetime: television for women rehashing of why 'heterosexual men are bad.'
But really, I could have found some fun in watching the paint dry on a real O'Keeffe painting, as opposed to watching the entirety of this film. I pulled it out and relayed it to the two star category, because at its very least some New Mexican film crew had to labor their talent through what can only be imagined as some of the most dullest sides ever handed out to a film crew. I can't blame 'Lifetime: Television for women' entirely, because "Lizzie Borden Took an Ax" with Kristina Ricci was incredible for its modern take on an old tale, with some pretty fun soundtracks, and some pretty chic costumes.
Meanwhile, "Stieglitz - with some O'Keeffe thrown in for color" was tiresome in the first five minutes. I must admit, I love Jeremy Irons. Scar; Simon Gruber; Aramis, these are roles worthy of his talent. But wow, Irons must have been like, "'I can't' with this film, so I'll make Stieglitz the foremost Spencer Pratt of the O'Keeffe age." Which is why I warn, that this is a film about Stieglitz, who is portrayed as the quintessential Male chauvinist. And who knows, maybe he was, absolutely; but after viewing this film you are left without any doubt that he wasn't anything else.
O'Keeffe on the other hand, as portrayed in this film, lives up to the notion that the Art is what speaks, and that it is okay to relegate the artist to the background of humans making folly in their personal lives. And its best to ignore all their failings, because as I said Joan Allen's portrayal didn't leave you much room to imagine anything else. You end up incredibly disliking Joan Allen's O'Keeffe, not because what can be surmised as O'Keeffe's super subordinate life in the shadow of Stieglitz, 'male ego premier!', but because Allen brought absolutely nothing to portray O'Keeffe as anything but a means to an end to Stieglitz's career.
This film was less than disappointing, it was less than a borefest, it was something worthy of being pulled from the player barely 20 minutes into the show; it didn't even make for good background noise. Spare yourself the change in renting this film, and just go out and buy a copy of O'Keeffe's work, or better yet, buy an original, you'll learn far more in its presence than in this Lifetime: television for women rehashing of why 'heterosexual men are bad.'