Growing up in New York City, in the 1970s, painter Alice Neel (who died in 1984, at age 84) was often in the news, with a show or retrospective at this or that gallery or museum. Such was the extent of her fame and renown, locally, that it's hard to imagine she was anything other than a famous painter, but in the 2007 documentary, Alice Neel, directed by her grandson Andrew Neel, it is a myth that is quickly dispelled.
Alice Neel, the film, is overall a worthy film to see, but director Neel needed to step back, let the personal issues evaporate, then really give a good and hard edit to this film. What could have been great ends up merely good. While a loss, very little produced in the arts fails as well as this film so bear that in mind through the frustrating moments. In this way, the film oddly recapitulates its subject's existence. Good for it, good for us, but for the filmmaker a mixed bag, as the film never recapitulates the complexity of its subject; as if it really could .
Alice Neel, the film, is overall a worthy film to see, but director Neel needed to step back, let the personal issues evaporate, then really give a good and hard edit to this film. What could have been great ends up merely good. While a loss, very little produced in the arts fails as well as this film so bear that in mind through the frustrating moments. In this way, the film oddly recapitulates its subject's existence. Good for it, good for us, but for the filmmaker a mixed bag, as the film never recapitulates the complexity of its subject; as if it really could .
