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Sienna Miller plays tragic ‘Factory Girl’
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First, Sienna Miller made her mark in entertainment as Jude Law’s arm candy. Then she stunned tabloid readers with her dramatic role change to Jude Law’s ex-arm candy. Now the British celebrity adds “actress” to her resume with the release of “Factory Girl” on DVD.
Though she made her film debut (with Law) in the 2004 emotional rollercoaster “Alfie,” Miller takes center stage in “Factory Girl” playing Edie Sedgwick, a 1960s socialite and actress.
The film opens with Sedgwick desperate to escape the tight grip her rich parents have on her. She drops out of art school and moves to New York City with her friend Chuck (Jimmy Fallon) to become a famous artist.
The pair meets pop artist Andy Warhol (Guy Pearce) at a downtown social event. Warhol immediately becomes drawn to Edie’s spunky, flamboyant personality and invites her to act in one of his experimental, sexually-charged films. He takes her to his studio (known as the “Factory”) and introduces her to his crew of fellow rebel artists.
From that point on, Sedgwick acts as Warhol’s muse. He features her in a slew of films and she quickly gains fame in the underground artistic scene. They also develop a relationship in which they confide in each other like close friends, but with added sexual tension.
Miller and Pearce work well together during these scenes and their natural behaviors with each other make the film seem more like a documentary than actors reciting lines from a script.
Despite the chemistry between the two leads, the first half of “Factory Girl” proves to be the weakest. Scene after scene shows Sedgwick prancing around New York wearing a leopard print outfit (in a style similar to modern celebrities like Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan) or with Warhol and their posse at some wild dance party. The plot disappears, the characters barely develop and it seems like the movie doesn’t move forward.
Sedgwick’s short affair with musician Bob Dylan (Hayden Christensen) adds a bit more substance. However, Miller and Christensen lack the chemistry Miller shows with Pearce and this relationship becomes forgettable.
But when Sedgwick has a falling out with Warhol and gets kicked out the Factory, the real drama begins. Miller gains sympathy as she conveys Sedgwick’s downward spiral into poverty and drugs.
A gritty black and white shot of her walking down a Manhattan sidewalk in a skimpy dress and barefoot strongly conveys the end of the former glamour girl’s 15 minutes of fame.
The film’s soundtrack is one of its strongest assets. It incorporates sounds from different 1960s musicians such as the Strangeloves, the Birds and Tim Hardin. The eclectic musical mix brings the era alive and gives a little spark to those monotonous, never-ending party scenes at the film’s beginning.
Along with the soundtrack, Sedgwick’s extensive, glamorous wardrobe acts as its own character. Bursting with bright colors, fur coats, animal prints and the signature oversized sunglasses of the time, the costumes define her whimsical and often superficial nature as she strives for fame and carelessly spends money.
Despite its shortcomings, “Factory Girl” can still hold a
viewer’s interest and Miller’s performance proves she’s more than arm candy.
Francy Marcotte
