W.E. (Film Review)

Directed by Madonna

A few weeks ago we got the chance to speak with Madonna on the red carpet premiere of her latest directorial effort W.E. at the Zigfeld  here in New York. It was a whirlwind event (read about it here) and after our close encounter with M we rushed into the theatre, barely having time to take our seats before she took to the stage, delivering a heartfelt speech about her labor of love. Once she was finished, she then proceeded to take her seat  just a mere four rows in front of us! As the theatre darkened, we found ourselves sitting in utter disbelief for a few moments before we caught hold of ourselves and settled in to enjoy the movie.

Three years in the making, W.E. is a labor of love – and it shows. Madonna shares co-writing credits with long-time collaborator Alek Keshishian (Truth Or Dare).  The rock-solid cast includes James D’Arcy as King Edward VIII and Abbie Cornish as modern day American woman Wally. The breakout star of the film is undoubtedly Andrea Riseborough who excels as Wallis Simpson.

First and foremost, W.E is a love story but it speaks with a unique voice. It does not simply re-tell what many consider the greatest love to story of the 21st century. Instead, it chooses a different narrative through the character Wally.

Questions are raised about whether perfect love exists, what one must be willing to give up for the love of another, and the ability to know when it’s time to call it quits. We get to take a look at Wallis’ side of the story and she is portrayed in a more favorable light than many have previously afforded her…leave it to Madonna to go against the grain!

One of W.E’s greatest strengths is that it is visually stunning.  Great attention to detail was paid. Choosing to move between modern-day and historical sequences with the aid of exquisite artifacts that are almost touchable to the viewer worked in W.E.’s favor.  An endless stream of beautifully colored shots filmed in motion lend fluidity to the film, and when coupled with the magnificent score often times simply takes your breath away. This is Madonna’s best film work, to date.

It’s a highly stylized piece and the beauty  lies not only in the filming and post production, but in the also in the characters. Costume director Arianne Phillips (who picked up an Oscar nod for her work) was tasked with fitting Andrea in countless stunning outfits befitting Wallis Simpson - a world-renowned style icon.

With W.E. Madonna has once again proved that she is not afraid of a challenge. It met and exceeded our expectations for her first stab at directing a major motion picture. The era of love is upon us!

W.E. opens in select theaters in the U.S. today!