A good biographical documentary of an iconic visual artist whose work is instantly recognizable. It is difficult to capture the brilliance of her photographs in the medium of film, and the director, who is also her sister, does her best to bring it off. The attempt to tell the story of how Annie's work evolved through
interviews with her subjects, her co-workers, her associates and her employers was interesting, but not compelling. The closest we came to seeing behind the persona, was when Annie was talking about Susan Sontag's final days. They had been long-time companions, and her humanity showed through briefly in those moments. For the rest of the film, it felt like we were being shown what the artist herself and the director wanted us to see. But the essential Annie Leibovitz remained hidden behind the mask of her celebrity. There is nearly an hour of extras that appear to be the interviews and scenes that didn't make the final cut. They do help to flesh out and expand on the themes in the main body of the film. I liked it, overall. It presents to the viewer an overview of her life and work. I just didn't find enough to really grab my heart. Not enough there to compel one to look.
August 26, 2009
