Lee (2023)
Lee is a biographical drama that chronicles the life of Lee Miller, a fashion model turned war photographer during World War II. Kate Winslet stars as the intrepid Miller, who trades in her glamorous lifestyle for the gritty reality of documenting the horrors of war for Vogue magazine.
The film’s strongest asset is undoubtedly Winslet’s performance. She brings a raw intensity to Miller, capturing both her fierce determination and underlying vulnerability. Winslet’s portrayal is nuanced, showing us a woman who’s tough as nails on the outside but harbouring deep-seated trauma beneath the surface. In one particularly moving scene, Winslet lays bare Miller’s pain as she recounts a traumatic experience from her youth to her editor, played by the always reliable Andrea Riseborough.
Director Ellen Kuras, making her narrative feature debut, brings her considerable experience as a cinematographer to bear on the film’s visual style. The camera work is often striking, with Kuras employing clever techniques like showing us the view through Miller’s camera lens. These moments give us a glimpse into Miller’s artistic eye and help us understand her perspective on the world around her.
Unfortunately, the film stumbles when it comes to its narrative structure. The decision to frame Miller’s story through an interview with an older version of herself feels clunky and unnecessary. It’s a shame, really, as it takes away from the immediacy of Miller’s wartime experiences and adds a layer of distance between the audience and the character.
The script, penned by Liz Hannah, Marion Hume, and John Collee, tries to pack too much of Miller’s fascinating life into a two-hour runtime. As a result, many aspects of her story feel rushed or underdeveloped. We get tantalising glimpses of her relationships with various artists and her time in the surrealist art scene, but these threads are never fully explored. It’s like trying to cram a five-course meal into a lunchbox—there’s just not enough room for everything.
That said, the film does shine when it focuses on Miller’s wartime photography. The scenes depicting her documentation of the liberation of concentration camps are powerful and haunting. There’s a palpable sense of horror and disbelief as Miller captures these unimaginable atrocities on film. It’s in these moments that we truly understand the weight of her work and the toll it took on her psyche.
The production design by Gemma Jackson is top-notch, effectively transporting us to the 1940s. From the fashion-forward world of Vogue to the bombed-out streets of war-torn Europe, the attention to detail is impressive. The film’s soundtrack, while not particularly memorable, does an adequate job of setting the mood without overpowering the visuals.
One of the film’s weaknesses lies in its supporting characters. Apart from Riseborough’s Audrey Withers, many of the secondary roles feel underdeveloped. Alexander Skarsgård, as Miller’s love interest Roland Penrose, starts strong but fades into the background as the story progresses. It’s a missed opportunity to explore the complexities of Miller’s personal relationships alongside her professional journey.
Lee is a bit of a mixed bag. On one hand, it sheds light on an incredible woman whose story deserves to be told. Winslet’s performance and Kuras’s visual flair make for some truly compelling moments. On the other hand, the film’s structural issues and rushed pacing prevent it from fully doing justice to Miller’s remarkable life.
In the end, Lee is worth a watch for history buffs and photography enthusiasts, but it may leave others wanting more. It’s like a snapshot of a larger, more complex picture—intriguing but not quite capturing the full story. While it doesn’t quite reach the heights it aspires to, it’s still a solid effort that brings attention to an often-overlooked figure in wartime journalism.