by Matt St Clair
Kate Winslet as "Lee"
After winning an Emmy for Mare of Easttown, I wondered how Kate Winslet would follow up her career-best work on the acclaimed HBO miniseries. Her latest starring vehicle, Lee, looked like a worthy follow-up project on paper. Winslet collaborates with cinematographer-turned-director Ellen Kuras, who lensed Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, which featured Winslet’s other greatest performance. Sadly, only Winslet’s performance lives up to the promise of the reunion...
In Lee, Winslet plays the titular model-turned-war photojournalist Lee Miller. As it follows her story, the movie falls in the standard biopic trap of sharing as many facets as possible from the subject’s life like they’re little boxes to be checked off. In Lee, Kuras attempts to juggle Miller’s home life, her time capturing the WWII battlefield, and her collaboration with Vogue magazine editor Audrey Withers (the always-reliable Andrea Riseborough). Although Lee Miller had a storied life, that could fill several movies, the best biopics zone in on a key hapter or event.
Kate Winslet’s performance is the main attraction. Winslet, who appears in every scene, goes all-in as the no-nonsense, outspoken Lee Miller. Whether she's exuding calm sexual confidence during her moments with Alexander Skarsgard or bringing ferocity to scenes where the photographer asserts her place as a woman working in a male-dominated field, the movie star s always commanding.
The supporting cast is mostly underused though typical funnyman Andy Samberg shows off his hidden dramatic side as David Scherman, Miller’s fellow photojournalist. He's particularly strong in the film’s final act. Alexander Skarsgard shows charm and magnetism as Lee's husband, his supportive role at least a nice break from his niche of slimeball/bad-husband roles. Oscar winner Marion Cotillard is the most egregiously sidelined. Finally, Noémie Merlant, who wowed viewers last year by holding her own against another great named Cate in Tár, is similarly underutilized.
In the end, Lee is the Winslet show through and through. While Lee does have some engaging, well-lensed war sequences that feel suited for the big screen, truthfully, she's the only reason to see it. C
Lee is screening as a world premiere in the Gala Presentations section at TIFF.