Normally, I don't like writing reviews but I feel this is an underrated and misunderstood film. It contains a few small spoilers.
I guess it is almost impossible to watch it and review it without taking in consideration the director. Madonna.
Let me start by saying that while I don't hate Madonna, I detest her as an actress and I watched this film with lots of skepticism and with very low expectations, after reading a few professional reviews. But it was a nice surprise, for sure.
I found it to be a very different film to what the big studios are putting out. It's not completely fiction and it's not a straight-forward history lesson. It has both, and I find that's very original. It's much more of a concept film, than anything else.
This film employs a plot device similar to the film Julie & Julia, but that's where the similarities end. I knew this before I watched it and I had already made up my mind that it was a cheap trick to connect with the audience, but this film takes it much further than the aforementioned film.
The story has moments where the fictional Wally Winthrop and the real Wallis Simpson interact on the mind of the fictional character. That's where the conceptual aspect of the film lies, it is a film about "celebrity" and our obsessions with it. How we turn to them to love them or hate them and how they can be a reflection of our lives. Wally is completely obsessed with Wallis. In this film Madonna "defends" a female historical figure who was misunderstood and hated by a lot of people, it takes no genius to figure out that's how Madonna must feel at times herself. So at the same time, it is obvious the director feels a bit obsessed with Wallis as well. You'll notice how much of Madonna's words are uttered by Wally Winthrop.
A great aspect of the film, is that it has many scenes that are quite shocking, and I won't list them here but it certainly shows difficult aspects of both women's lives in a very brave and bold way, especially those concerning abuse and child conception. And these matters are not only difficult for these women but for all women and can be truly felt by anyone with some humanity in them.
The movie is probably a bit too long and some scenes towards the second half of the film could've been left out, but it's not such a big flaw. I completely disagree with reviewers who think Wallis Simpson should've been the central figure and the fictional side should've been cut to 15 minutes, that would be a completely different movie and not how this movie was intended to be to portray its ideas. A scene that stands out involves an elderly Wallis Simpson dancing for Edward, and it's very endearing. And while Andrea Riseborough is completely amazing as Wallis, not enough people are commenting on Abbie Cornish who made us feel for her character and her troubles, some scenes must have been a real challenge to film.
To finish my review I have to talk about the most praised aspects of the film, and certainly what makes it stand out the most above the rest: it is absolutely and breathtakingly stunning, both the image on the screen and the soundtrack. The different cameras used and color palette, among other things, are both classic and modern. I feel the balancing of both is perfect in this film like in no other. The soundtrack is mostly based on classical pieces but in one of the scenes Wallis Simpson dances to the Sex Pistols. This is so we don't forget we are looking at this from the perspective of the fictional character, a modern woman.
It is obvious a ton of work and thought has been put into every aspect of this film. It is no vanity project. See it and judge for yourself and I promise if you focus on what you're being shown, you will at least enjoy it.
I loved it...
I guess it is almost impossible to watch it and review it without taking in consideration the director. Madonna.
Let me start by saying that while I don't hate Madonna, I detest her as an actress and I watched this film with lots of skepticism and with very low expectations, after reading a few professional reviews. But it was a nice surprise, for sure.
I found it to be a very different film to what the big studios are putting out. It's not completely fiction and it's not a straight-forward history lesson. It has both, and I find that's very original. It's much more of a concept film, than anything else.
This film employs a plot device similar to the film Julie & Julia, but that's where the similarities end. I knew this before I watched it and I had already made up my mind that it was a cheap trick to connect with the audience, but this film takes it much further than the aforementioned film.
The story has moments where the fictional Wally Winthrop and the real Wallis Simpson interact on the mind of the fictional character. That's where the conceptual aspect of the film lies, it is a film about "celebrity" and our obsessions with it. How we turn to them to love them or hate them and how they can be a reflection of our lives. Wally is completely obsessed with Wallis. In this film Madonna "defends" a female historical figure who was misunderstood and hated by a lot of people, it takes no genius to figure out that's how Madonna must feel at times herself. So at the same time, it is obvious the director feels a bit obsessed with Wallis as well. You'll notice how much of Madonna's words are uttered by Wally Winthrop.
A great aspect of the film, is that it has many scenes that are quite shocking, and I won't list them here but it certainly shows difficult aspects of both women's lives in a very brave and bold way, especially those concerning abuse and child conception. And these matters are not only difficult for these women but for all women and can be truly felt by anyone with some humanity in them.
The movie is probably a bit too long and some scenes towards the second half of the film could've been left out, but it's not such a big flaw. I completely disagree with reviewers who think Wallis Simpson should've been the central figure and the fictional side should've been cut to 15 minutes, that would be a completely different movie and not how this movie was intended to be to portray its ideas. A scene that stands out involves an elderly Wallis Simpson dancing for Edward, and it's very endearing. And while Andrea Riseborough is completely amazing as Wallis, not enough people are commenting on Abbie Cornish who made us feel for her character and her troubles, some scenes must have been a real challenge to film.
To finish my review I have to talk about the most praised aspects of the film, and certainly what makes it stand out the most above the rest: it is absolutely and breathtakingly stunning, both the image on the screen and the soundtrack. The different cameras used and color palette, among other things, are both classic and modern. I feel the balancing of both is perfect in this film like in no other. The soundtrack is mostly based on classical pieces but in one of the scenes Wallis Simpson dances to the Sex Pistols. This is so we don't forget we are looking at this from the perspective of the fictional character, a modern woman.
It is obvious a ton of work and thought has been put into every aspect of this film. It is no vanity project. See it and judge for yourself and I promise if you focus on what you're being shown, you will at least enjoy it.
I loved it...
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