Today I was lucky enough to cover the screening of The Artist’s Wife. The movie is both beautiful and emotional and takes us on a journey of love, family, art, and sacrifice. The touching drama pulls at the heartstrings and is beautifully portrayed by the two leading actors Claire Smythson (Lena Olin) and her husband Richard Smythson (Bruce Dern), a famous abstract artist.
Based in the Hamptons the movie follows Claire, a once promising artist herself who is now living in the shadows of her husband’s illustrious career. Claire starts to notice that her husband Richards behaviour is becoming increasingly erratic. This is when they come to find that Richard is in the early stages of Dementia.
As Richard struggles to stay connected to who he once was, Claire decides to take on the challenge of reconnecting Richard with his estranged daughter from his previous marriage, Angela (Juliet Rylance), and his grandson Diego (Ravi Cabot – Conyers). On a trip into New York, Claire is met with a very reluctant and unwilling Angela at first. Eventually Angela agrees to spend time during the holiday season with her father. This is when the movie really shifts and Richard, Claire and Angela allow for the possibility of change.
With what is potentially Richards final exhibition approaching, Claire needs to decide whether to stay in his shadows sacrificing her own artistic career, or to allow Richard to have his final moment in the spotlight.
This heartfelt drama is visually stunning, the solid performances from the two main characters and the rest of the cast are very authentic and magnificent to watch. The strong storyline and wonderful cinematography made for a very enjoyable viewing experience. The movie took me on a fantastic journey of what it means to accept change. I really enjoyed watching The Artist’s Wife and I highly recommend you see this sincere and fantastic drama.
The Artist’s Wife is now on iTunes, Amazon Prime Video, and Laemmle Virtual Cinemas as of Sept. 25. Make sure you go watch to be reminded of how important family is but also the importance of staying true to the dreams you have for yourself.
