After Armie Hammer broke out in “The Social Network,” it took the actor a while to figure out his place in Hollywood. Despite his best efforts to go blockbuster in “The Lone Ranger” and “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.,” the results speak for themselves, but it seems he’s found his footing in smaller, more independent fare. The past year saw him line up parts in “The Birth Of A Nation,” “Nocturnal Animals,” and “Free Fire,” and now he’s basking in the glow of the Sundance sensation “Call Me By Your Name” (our review). Now Hammer is headed to Berlin where he hopes the heat will continue with “Final Portrait.”
Directed by Stanley Tucci, and co-starring Geoffrey Rush, the story follows tempestuous artist Alberto Giacometti, as he attempts to paint a portrait of art critic and biographer James Lord. Here’s the official synopsis:
Paris in 1964. Alberto Giacometti is the one who decides when it is time for work, drink, doubt, destruction, flirtation or laughter in his studio. An established artist whose works fetch record prices, he hides his earnings in his studio. This is just one of the causes of many an argument with his wife Annette, another being the fact that his mistress Caroline receives all his attention. His brother Diego, also an artist, is all too familiar with his idiosyncrasies. One day, Giacometti asks American art critic and biographer James Lord to pose for him. But their sittings, scheduled to take a week, are frequently interrupted by visits to the bistro or long car rides, with no end in sight. Lord postpones his return flight several times.
This films peers into the workshop and personality of this famous Swiss painter and sculptor, two years before his death. In his fifth film as a director, actor Stanley Tucci shows the artist with all his strengths and weaknesses and relates the chaos of his artistic output, doubts, and courageous ability to destroy and begin afresh. We are observing a genius at work. Tucci’s screenplay is based on James Lord’s biography ‘A Giacometti Portrait.’
Check out the clip below (via Deadline), and look for our review from Berlin.
Browse through all our coverage of the 2017 Berlin International Film Festival by clicking here.
