Verdict: 4/5
‘Lee’ follows the true story of one of the greatest war photographers of all time, as she documents history’s darkest chapter.
Even if most people are unfamiliar with American war correspondent Lee Miller herself, many would have seen the photos she’s taken before.
Haunting and emotional, her images of concentration camps and their countless victims at the culmination of World War II would reveal the horrors of the Holocaust to the whole world.
Honestly, it’s a surprise a film wasn’t made about her sooner.A former model, the film opens in 1938 with Lee (Kate Winslet) lounging with her friends by the beachside. It’s here that she ends up meeting her future husband Roland Penrose (Alexander Skarsgård) for the first time.
But as the threat of war looms, everyone’s lives forever change, including Lee.
In London, she gets a job documenting life on the home front for British Vogue, but it’s not enough – she needs to go to the frontline.
It’s a bold move at a time where female photographers faced strict restrictions due to their gender. Lee has to use every inch of her ferocious tenacity and determination to get her way, which, of course, she does.
From there the film really picks up speed as Lee travels to photograph the liberation of Paris, and later, Germany
Every single person in the cast does a superb job in bringing the story to life.
Of course, Winslet delivers another powerhouse performance. She’s tough, angry, passionate and driven by a need to shine a light on injustice. There’s no other actress who could play Lee.
Andy Samberg was a surprise. Portraying photographer Davy Scherman, who becomes good friends with Lee and joins her to photograph the horrors of concentration camps in Germany, the role was a far cry from Samberg’s usual comedic roles.
He handles it with ease, delivering one of the most heart-tugging moments of the whole film.
The nature of the film means it can be a hard watch at times, but even then, it’s impossible to look away.
‘Lee’ is a timely reminder of the importance of photojournalism when it comes to documenting war crimes and shining a light on the truth. A must-watch.
See this movie at Hoyts Penrith.
Ellie Busby
Ellie Busby is a news reporter for Western Sydney Publishing Group. A graduate of the University of Hertfordshire and Western Sydney University, she is a journalism Major. Ellie has worked with Universal Media, The Cova Project and for a range of other projects.