The Artist’s Wife review – an indie drama lacking inspiration
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Acting legends Leno Olin and Bruce Dern star in a film about the pressures of supporting greatness. Olin plays Claire Smythson, the wife of celebrated painter Richard (Dern). Living comfortably in their old age, Claire keeps their lives running while Richard is allowed to surround himself with painting and teaching. When he begins to show signs of dementia, however, Claire attempts to reconnect with the family he pushed away, and tries to rediscover her own identity.
A good set up and prestige cast should be a strong indicator of success, but from beginning to end Tom Dolby’s film feels a bit lost. Claire spends much of her time cleaning up the mess her husband leaves behind, but there’s little glimpsing inside her own head. A good comparison would be Glenn Close’s The Wife, which wrapped an entire film around her slow building frustration. Here, The Artist’s Wife seems to be as s