Review of Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus (2006) by Chris H — 13 Mar 2008

I only heard about this film's existence when it hit the dvd shelves and when I did read about it, reviewers were less than flattering... thank goodness I don't put much stock in the words of critics.

While Secretary (Shainberg's previous film) was great, it suffered at times from being a little restricted by it's plot devices. Fur, on the other hand, allows itself to go wherever the hell it wants and does so honestly and unapologetically. That said, the film makes no attempt at shocking it's audience either. An opening half hour or so of surprises and a steady journey into the realms of the unconventional, rather than run out of steam when there are no more "oddities" to pull out of it's hat, the story shifts seamlessly into an endearing and at times heart wrenching tale of love and friendship balanced on the fringes of societal norms.

I also can't wrap up this review without commenting on the photography of the film, given that the story is crafted around one of America's most famous photographers, the cinematography here was picturesque without weighing itself down with self consciousness and pretension. Basically, the photography of the film never gets in the way of the story.

All in all, a wonderful, and quite underrated, gem!