Westwood: Punk, Icon, Activist

This is not a slick documentary, which suits the subject. The film relies on informal interviews and behind the scenes cine-verité, coupled with ample archival footage. There is a certain loose feel to the film structure, from Westwood's grumpy reluctance to talk at a certain point to the not-so-smooth transitions. Things that would be typically edited out in other docs find their way into the final cut. In this case this works well, matching Westwood's aesthetics and personality. In a way she was all over the place, and brilliantly so. At times the documentary goes from a direct cinema style to a reality TV feel, which again, suits the subject fine. Including Vivienne's rudeness to her staff, a reflection of her creative tension before a show, was a good choice in my opinion. We don't want a polished hagiography, I don't think she wanted it either. If you like fashion and art, this documentary will probably be interesting to you. I loved it in all its imperfections.