Review of Liz & Dick (2012) by Elizabeth B — 22 Jan 2015

The first thing that everyone goes to, in lambasting this film, is the performance from vacant eyed starlet Lindsay Lohan as Liz Taylor. I would say that this film actually suffers most from compacting forty odd years into a 90 minute film without any exposition.

Most of the film's events happen without clarification to when in time they occur, why they're important, or who the surrounding characters are. I would say that most of the people in this film can be identified by those who know the many loves of Elizabeth Taylor, but for anyone coming in blind, none of this film will make much sense.

Characters, places, costume changes, are all thrown at you without explanation. There's a time jump of some ten years that's not explained, and then the film just ends. Lohan isn't the perfect Elizabeth Taylor, but then again Lifetime isn't the best venue for this film, in the first place.

Lohan has problems with her accent work, but besides that she seems to be really trying throughout. She and Grant Bowler (Burton) have monologues, (possibly from heaven) and there's one in particular where Lohan shows real emotion and bravado in her acting that I haven't seen from her in some time.

That scene gave me hope for Lohan's future endeavors, and showed that beneath the bleary eyed stare she still cares about her work. Bowler also gives his all, even with the corny poetry and his weirdly perverted take on seduction.

If you like watching train wrecks, this may be the film for you.