LATE FAME
Starring: Willem Dafoe, Greta Lee, and Edmund Donovan
Director: Kent Jones
ADRIANO
Even if it lacks punch, Late Fame’s slight approach has a lot to offer. Kent Jones’ direction doesn’t seek to show too much, letting the brilliant script do a lot of the work, which maybe isn’t the most exciting option. However, the writing and Willem Dafoe’s amazing performance are too captivating to ignore. Together, they create a profound glimpse at an artist’s late-stage self-discovery that feels deeply human. Dafoe’s dynamic with the incredible Greta Lee is another bonus to this well-thought-out and engaging work of art. It’s the type of film to stick with you in all the right ways.
BODE
Willem Dafoe doesn’t always get the opportunity to play a normal guy. Luckily, Late Fame provides one, and he expectedly delivers with a performance that’s understated and open-hearted. Director Kent Jones is smart enough to let that do most of the work (especially opposite Greta Lee, great in a showier fashion), and that gives this unfussy study of what it means to be recognized some of its bittersweet power — even in moments where class and generational divides are sharply satirized. It’s missing a little something that would elevate it to greatness, but as is, it’s an enjoyably melancholy venture.
