Rating of
3/4
Grey Gardens
Amyaronson - wrote on 07/18/11
Big Edie is Jackie Onassis Kennedy's cousin, and Little Edie is Big Edie's daughter. They live in a neglected house of squalor, isolated from the real world. They are the source of scandal in such a famous family. They do not seem to care. They dwell on the days of beauty and men and society, but they choose to continue living in isolation, reminiscing and bickering. This doc is a cult classic and brings up a lot of issues about exploitation in documentary film. Should we feel sorry for the Beales? It is a challenge to step back from our own world views in order to try and understand where they are coming for, but the challenge is worthwhile.
Funny, charming, but often depressing, this film is a major triumph for the genre of documentary films. Also, it's providing me with some pretty sweet Halloween costume ideas.
