64
Metascore
11 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 80Los Angeles TimesKenneth TuranLos Angeles TimesKenneth TuranIt is the charm of Lorna Tucker's film that, her subject's reluctance notwithstanding, it provides a fascinating, involving glimpse of both who Westwood was back in the day and who she is at this particular moment in time, so much so that we genuinely miss her once the credits begin to roll.
- 75RogerEbert.comGodfrey CheshireRogerEbert.comGodfrey CheshireWhile Westwood is certainly a remarkable personal and cultural figure in many senses, it’s too bad she’s not more willing to discuss the genesis of punk, since it’s likely to remain the primary thing she’s known for.
- 70Screen DailyNikki BaughanScreen DailyNikki BaughanDespite the endearing reticence of its subject, Westwood: Punk, Icon, Activist uses interviews, archive footage and intimate fly-on-the-wall access to get (almost) to the heart of this remarkable woman; although one suspects that Westwood will always keep some secrets firmly up her sleeve.
- 70VarietyGuy LodgeVarietyGuy LodgeTrue to its title, Westwood: Punk, Icon, Activist is chiefly out to gild a remarkable, independent legacy. As the film unrolls its rousing, “Bolero”-scored closing montage of the stunning catwalk visions Westwood has given the fashion world over four decades, you can hardly say it’s undeserved.
- 70The New York TimesManohla DargisThe New York TimesManohla DargisThere are many words that you can use to describe Ms. Westwood (born 1941), an early punk rock tastemaker and merchandizer turned global couture brand. Boring certainly is not one of them. And as the movie jumps from past to present, from street to palace, from the Sex Pistols to Queen Elizabeth II, Ms. Westwood’s claim sounds increasingly strange and borderline ridiculous.
- 63Slant MagazineSlant MagazineLorna Tucker's documentary sustains a tone that oscillates between earnest admiration and wry exasperation.
- While I learned a lot about Westwood, it just didn’t feel like enough.
- 63The Seattle TimesMoira MacdonaldThe Seattle TimesMoira MacdonaldThe film is over quickly, before I’d seen quite enough of Westwood’s fanciful clothing, or heard quite enough of her voice.
- 50Village VoiceAbbey BenderVillage VoiceAbbey BenderThe fact that you can sense Westwood’s disillusionment with the documentary project while watching it creates some interesting tension, but director Lorna Tucker doesn’t fully exploit it or turn it into meta commentary.
- 50The Hollywood ReporterFrank ScheckThe Hollywood ReporterFrank ScheckLorna Tucker's documentary profiling famed fashion designer Vivienne Westwood displays a genuine tension between the filmmaker and her subject that initially proves intriguing. Unfortunately, that tension soon dissipates, and all that's left is a much too cursory portrait of a figure whose fascinating life and career should have led to a more interesting film.