THE ARTIST’S WIFE – Review

Living in the shadow of a famous and talented spouse can be hard, particularly when one has to give up ambitions of their own ambitious. It is nearly always the wives who abandon their careers to focus on a famous husband’s work, particularly if it was in the same field. In THE ARTIST’S WIFE, Claire (Lena Olin) is long reconciled to dropping her own career as an artist to support the career of her famous, successful artist husband Richard (Bruce Dern). In fact, Claire thinks of Richard’s career as “their career” and Richard’s loving devotion to Claire, his younger second wife, reinforces her view that they are an artistic team. But when Richard receives a devastating medical diagnosis and the artist’s wife faces the prospect of life alone, Claire’s long-buried feelings about her abandoned artistic work resurface.

Artistic genius Richard had always been impulsive and hot-tempered but lately he seemed more erratic. Claire has chalked it up to heavy drinking but a lapse during a speech while accepting an award sends them to the doctor. The diagnosis of Alzheimer’s hit Claire like a brick wall, while Richard was barely affected, a not unusual response. After the doctor tells Claire, to not do this alone, she determines to reach out to Richard’s only child, a long-estranged daughter from his previous marriage. The daughter, Angela (Juliette Rylance), is decidedly cool to the idea.

Lena Olin’s Claire has been comfortable with her choice to focus on Richard’s work for so long, that it almost surprises her that the impulse to resume painting surfaces. Partly, it may also be an escape from facing the new reality of Richard’s illness but it also seems to be Claire contemplating a future life on her own.

Director Tom Dolby’s drama does not really explore new ground in this familiar scenario, although the film could have, particularly with such impressive lead actors in the primary roles. There are some strong scenes between Olin and Dern, which are among the best in the film, but the script seems clunky, too familiar. and even less than believable in some moments.

It is not the clunky story that makes this film worthwhile but the work of Lena Olin and Bruce Dern. Their performances are fiery and leap off the screen, both together and on their own. As the title suggests, the focus is on Olin’s character as she struggles with news that will change to bedrock of her life, and Olin delivers brilliantly. Dern’s quirky, egotistical Richard is the perfect foil, particularly as he loses the thread while still keeping his character’s enormous ego. At a brief one hour and 34 minutes, the performances alone make the film worth seeing.

THE ARTIST’S WIFE is an imperfect movie rescued from forgettable by the perfect performances of Lena Olin and Bruce Dern. The drama opens September 25 in select theaters and on demand on various platforms.

RATING: 2 1/2 out of 4 stars