Lee Review: Kate Winslet’s Latest Is a Must-See Biopic Set Around WW2

Kate Winslet has been stoking the creative fires of Lee for some time. Long before the new biopic about acclaimed American war correspondent and photographer Lee Miller was fully realized, the Oscar- and Emmy-winning actress contacted Tony Penrose, Lee Miller and Roland Penrose’s son. She wanted to know why nobody had made a film about his famous mother. Penrose informed her that many people had tried and that there was an entire box of screenplays in the attic of potential movies that never went anywhere. Penrose reportedly told Winslet that the writers “just didn’t quite get her,” referencing his mother.

Winslet did. And by the time director Ellen Kuras became involved, it was clear that the film would be in good hands. Kuras is an award-winning cinematographer, who impressed with her work on Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Summer of Sam, and The Betrayal. She exhibits creative veracity here, evoking an early 20th Century vibe, particularly in the 1940s, and a lingering achiness that gives this film an occasional fever dream feel, which ultimately works in its favor because writers Liz Hannah, Marion Hume, and John Collee lean into a standard biopic format.

Commanding the endeavor is the fabulous Kate Winslet, who doesn’t disappoint. The Regime and Mare of Easttown star is magnetic, capturing the complexities of Miller, a sharp-shooting, outspoken photographer filled with conviction who often came across as steely. This fully engrossing film also stars Josh O’Connor (Players), Andrea Riseborough (The Regime), Alexander Skarsgård (Big Little Lies), Marion Cotillard (Inception), and Andy Samberg in a quietly affecting yet powerful role as Miller’s comrade, David E. Scherman.

Stellar Directing and Performances Elevate the Biopic

Writers Liz Hannah, Marion Hume, and John Collee’s screenplay delivers a more than satisfying by-the-book experience in Lee. Hannah, who was the executive producer of The Dropout and showrunner for The Girl from Plainville, a brilliant miniseries, is the perfect partner for Hume, whose documentary Capturing Lee Miller gives this story solid ground to create on. Meanwhile, Collee, the screenwriter for Monkey Man, knows how to give audiences a thrill, frenetic or otherwise.

Lee is purposely grounded, though, and very straightforward, which makes Kuras’s cinematic eye and Winslet’s passion for the project yet another fine ingredient to toss into the mix. Adding some credence to this exceptional outing is the fact that the work was adapted from the biography “The Lives of Lee Miller,” written by her son, Antony Penrose. Miller’s private archives were also accessed. It’s astounding to think how much research and care went into executing the film, and fortunately, that all pays off.

Early in the film, we hear Lee proclaim: “I was good at drinking, having sex, and taking pictures. And I did all three as much as I could,” while being interviewed by a young journalist played by Josh O’Connor. Here Lee comes across as bold, a bit abrupt, and not sure what all the fuss is about in relaying her story.

She gives in, of course, and soon enough, we’re shot back in time, where Miller is fiercely defying norms, attempting to pursue her passions, rather than become a cookie-cutter gal. She’s a model, then a photographer, who develops a tight bond with Vogue editor Audrey Withers (Andrea Riseborough). While we breeze through her romance with English artist/historian/poet Roland Penrose (Alexander Skarsgård), the actors make their connection fully realized and believable.

Lee Finds its Groove in World War II

The film slips into its true creative zone when Miller wants to go directly into the war zone and capture images of World War II. Skirting a law that would prohibit British female civilians from entering an active combat zone, Miller embarks on her quest, bringing along steadfast Life magazine photojournalist David Scherman (Andy Samberg). It’s 1944 at this point, and to be sure, the danger level is high and the Nazi threat ominous.

Winslet and Samberg are, surprisingly, a believable pairing, perhaps one of the more memorable ones to come out of historical dramas in recent years. Their shared respect for one another shines through. With her Rolleiflex camera and British Vogue press creds in tow, we’re led through Lee’s adventure and gritty scenarios—from the Paris conflicts and the terror in Hungary to the devastation in Munich. The filmmaker stitches these segments together nicely, occasionally taking us back to the 1970s, where the writer sifts through Miller’s incredible photographs.

Lee Is the Biopic to See This Season

Several scenes pack a gut punch. Miller and Scherman’s visit to Buchenwald concentration camp, for instance, is truly haunting. Other scenes where these journalists survey the dead bodies in boxcars are some unforgettable and breathtaking cinema. Yet another scene in which the duo is in Hitler’s apartment after the fall of Germany captures the backstory behind the iconic Lee Miller photograph of the photographer sitting naked in Hitler’s bathtub—Scherman took the shot.

At one point, the horror of it all becomes too much to bear. One scene, in which Scherman breaks down in Miller’s arms, is one of the movie’s finest moments. Here, Miller, typically formidable and often unshakable, can’t escape the impact of what’s occurred. And Samberg, who delivers a measured take on the character throughout, hits a career high in this role.

Occasional garden-variety biopic leanings aside, Lee is the one film to see this season. Winslet captures so much about Miller by saying so little. It’s all in her facial expression, the look in her eyes, her responses, and the rushed inhale of her cigarette. This is yet another award-worthy performance. Buoyed by an outstanding quartet — Winslet, Skarsgård, Andrea Riseborough, and Samberg — and the main character’s historical significance, Lee — the person and the film — is unforgettable.

Lee
opens in theaters September 27.