Watch Madonna and Her W.E. Cast Make Their Movie Seem Likable in 24-Minute Doc

I am obviously a thundering shill for Madonna whether she's making terrible movies with her ex-husband or making terrible movies with Griffin Dunne, but there's something about W.E.'s self-serious, accidental telenovela that's not even watchably bad. It's just humorless and overlong -- though Andrea Riseborough is fabulous as the polarizing Wallis Simpson. In a new 24-minute documentary about Madonna's big feature, the director and her cast do their best to sell their watercolored biopic, and I tell you what? They do a good job. Don't ask me to explain it. But James D'Arcy still looks like Anthony Perkins, so shut up and start crying in adoration.

Here's what strikes me as a little misguided:

1) The extreme importance placed upon the costuming and jewelry. W.E. feels like a De Beers commercial with all its slow-motion carat porn.

2) Wallis Simpson is an interesting historical figure, but there's no there there in terms of a satisfying character arc. Madonna has always loved controversial women, but she's ultimately too tame an iconoclast for such a lengthy movie.

Still, I dig Madonna's commentary here. It gives me hope for a decent follow-up feature -- though if you ask me, she should try her hand at directing an all-female comic ensemble. If her acting past is any indication, that's her surest bet for success.

W.E. - Promotional Documentary [YouTube]



Comments

  • neil says:

    wish, i could watch this film and makemy own mind up.............why do critics even exists! ..........they really bore me, i have my own mind tahnk you!

  • Craig says:

    I really enjoyed the film, as a critic myself i have to say im shocked (or maybe i'm not) at the amount of negativity thrown towards this film. No its not the best film of all time but it's a very solid effort with a solid cast and some great camera work. Madonna shows a real flair as a director. I fear many of the critics are laying in to the film simply because the director is one of the most famous icons in the world. Shame

  • Found the flawed film very watchable with many high points. Love the featurette. I disagree that there was too much importance placed on costumes and jewels in the featurette...Wallis Simpson WAS costumes and jewels.

  • Addison says:

    Hello,decent wanted to mound you,I enjoyed this post. It was inspiring. Safeguard on posting