LEE
Starring: Kate Winslet, Alexander Skarsgård, Marion Cottilard, Andrea Risebrough, Andy Samberg, and Josh O'Connor
Director: Ellen Kuras
NICK
There’s no doubt that Kate Winslet gives a spectacular and awards-worthy performance as Lee Miller; however, the film that features her, Lee, has its share of challenges. The approach taken in recounting her story feels like a cheap way to bypass plot points and make up for the lack of a cohesive narrative. Had the moments it focused on been more riveting, perhaps that could be overlooked, but the pacing is actually fairly slow. It is evident Lee Miller was an accomplished and nuanced photographer, so it’s very frustrating to see that a film about her work lacks artistic creativity.
ADRIANO
There seems to be this misconception in Hollywood that a movie can coast on just the power of its true story. Lee is another victim of this mentality because, while the story of Lee Miller is interesting, the film does nothing to distinguish itself beyond great performances from Kate Winslet and Andy Samberg. It tries to comment on sexism and war, but that doesn't go anywhere beyond finger-wagging. Motivations aren't entirely clear, and the film falls victim to a bizarre framing device that confuses more than delivers. I'm probably gonna forget Lee very quickly.
PRESTON
I spent much of Lee thinking it was somehow disjointed, and even contemplated copping out with a dodgy comment like, “something’s missing.” Fortunately, it turns out to be one of those films where you don’t know how cool it is until you’ve reached the end, when everything gets tied together in a somewhat forced, but satisfying fashion. An invested Kate Winslet single-handedly brings the gripping, real-life story of war-correspondent Lee Miller to…well…life. The method may feel like standard fare, but the underlying story to this biopic, told through a committed Winslet, is anything but.
QUENTIN
Despite a committed performance from Kate Winslet and a solid against-type showing from Andy Samberg, Lee doesn’t offer much to engage the viewer. The beats of Lee Miller’s (Winslet) life feel cherry-picked and rushed, as if perhaps more interesting tidbits were left on the editing room floor simply to make for a shorter runtime, and while it certainly shows some atrocities of war, it’s nothing we haven’t seen before. Plus, the awkward framing device of a story being told in flashback is wholly unnecessary (especially the “reveal”). This all results in a film that fails to make the viewer truly invested. It’s beautifully shot, though.
This film was reviewed by Adriano and Nick as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival.