Jump to the good stuff: The Story | Some Thoughts | The Final Verdict
The Story:
Mapplethorpe is a biopic about the controversial photographer, Robert Mapplethorpe (Matt Smith).
The film opens in 1967, when Robert meets Patti Smith (Marianne Rendón). The two quickly form a bond and move into a hotel apartment together. Although he and Patti become a couple, Robert keeps his sexual desires for men a secret. To hide his sexuality even further, Robert introduces Patti to his patents as his wife, a lie he gets Patti to agree to.
As Robert’s artistic expression shifts from drawing to collage, he begins exploring leather bars and incorporating homoerotic imagery into his work. When he shows Patti his collages, she begins to question their relationship. But it isn’t until Robert gets his first camera and begins documenting his life that Patti is forced to accept that he’s gay. From here the story gets rolling, showing Mapplethorpe embrace his work, struggle to be seen, and his eventual fame.
Some Thoughts:
Aside from basking in realism, Mapplethorpe follows the same mold as any decent biopic. The story flows well and if you know anything about the ’60s and ’70s, it will be easy to pick out who’s who before they mention their names. There’s also some old footage of New York City thrown in to give it some extra authenticity.
Smith plays Mapplethorpe as a man whose only care is being true to his art. And despite his screw it all attitude, there’s a natural constraint is Smith’s portrayal that keeps it from being too over the top or haughty. This lack of pretentiousness also carries into the gallery owners, who look at his photographs and respond as regular people would instead of snobby art peddlers who speak in artsy jargon. Most of how they feel is evident in their facial expressions.
What I appreciate most about this movie is how unglamourous it is. Apartments and studios are a bit a worn, and nobody looks ultra polished. It feels very much the way it would have been, right down to how the artist talk to each other.
You can’t have a Mapplethorpe biopic without discussing his controversial work. While the movie doesn’t delve too deeply into the imagery, it does discuss his depiction of black men. This is brought up in his relationship with model Milton Moore (McKinley Belcher III) that culminates in a scene depicting how clueless Mapplethorpe was about his reinforcement of racial stereotypes.
My only criticism of the film is the casting of John Benjamin Hickey as Sam Wagstaff. His performance isn’t bad; I just found myself wanting more emotional range from him.
The Final Verdict:
Mapplethorpe is a biopic that explores the artist’s work and life in a way that’s accessible for a general audience. It’s worth your time, even if you’re not a fan of his photography.