propaganda21

Firstly, if you have the opportunity to see the PBS documentary on The Life & Times of Frida Kahlo narrated by Mexican singer, Lila Downs, that was produced in 2005, do so because it is far more superior to this one.

For me, the modern poetic reconstructions of Frida were badly done: removing her gown in a bedroom that has a TV in it? A television set? Really? Mexico City in the 1930s & 40s? Too many shots of modern day Mexico City and too little archival footage and photographs. There is a lot of filler footage in this (70%), much of it doesn't capture the era that she lived in and has little to do with Frida, apart from being film in Mexico. It is more suited to Mexico travelogue. Modern Mexicans dancing to electronica during a carnival in Tehuantepec?

On the plus side, there's an interesting tour of the present day Frida Kahlo museum and the outside of the other Kahlo/Rivera houses. The Mexican interviews, especially the one with the photographer Graciela Iturbide (she deserves a documentary of her own) bemused how Frida has become a feminist icon in the US when she was supported and submissive to her more famous and wealthy husband, Diego Rivera.

I'm really not sure why a very sombre looking Asia Argento, with her thick Italian accent, was asked to narrate this, unless it was made for the Italian market. There are plenty of Mexican actresses who speak English who could have done it: Was Adriana Barraza or Cecilia Suárez not available?

Overall, it feels very disjointed and definitely not the best documentary on Frida.

It starts with an interesting premise but then as it progresses requires you not just to suspend your disbelief but throw it away all together. Rosamund Pike is stereotyped following on from her success in Gone Girl but here she is like a cartoon character. Dianne Wiest is excellent in her part but is painfully underused. Sadly, her character's reaction and change of motivation doesn't ring true. Peter Dinklage's character is another cartoon. As it goes on it becomes more and more ludicrous.

This dragged for me. It was gorgeous to look at, but other than that it seemed vapid and hollow. At times it felt like it was trying to be a Woody Allen urban comedy but severely lacking the punchy pacing and clever witty lines. It's very much Bill Murray's show as the deadpan womanising father, but even he seemed bored with the cliché. Rashida Jones didn't seem quirky enough for me and Marlon Wayans didn't really have much to do at all. I don't know what it is about Sofia Coppola's movies but she has a talent of making a 96 minute movie seem like three hours.