"Georgia O'Keeffe" is a shining example of what a director should not to do with a biopic, especially when he or she has two fine actors at their disposal. Following of the heels of the dismal Coco Chanel biopic, Lifetime this time turns its sights on arguably, the most influential female painter in modern history. A questionably cast, Joan Allen fills the shoes of O'Keeffe right at the time in her life when she came in contact with friend, supporter, husband, and foe, Alfred Stiglitz, a forgotten photo artist turned art promoter.

Allen is more than adequate as O'Keeffe, given the material she had to work with, but for a biopic about an artist, the focus, like in "Coco Chanel," is on the relationship with Stiglitz. Director Bob Balaban avoids all the usual biopic clichés, with references to O'Keeffe's childhood delivered through two throwaway lines. Unfortunately, anything prior to O'Keeffe's early relationship with Stiglitz is passed over. We know O'Keeffe is an artist but we never see how she got started. Balaban does manage to produce a competent by the numbers, melodrama of better quality than the standard Lifetime fare.

The script is what fails to do O'Keeffe's life justice and cheats the viewer of their investment. The tension in O'Keeffe's romantic life is boiled down to the most predictable conflicts, with life altering moments delivered on cue at the end of the first and second acts. I'm not by any means calling O'Keeffe's life cliché, I have no doubts like the life of anyone, it was fascinating; what is cliché are the grandstanding speeches, the swelling arguments, and the workmanlike, but lifeless dialogue. The most flowery monologues come on cue at the most critical moments of the film, perfectly timed for use as a clip at the Emmys of Golden Globes.

It isn't until the close of the second act that the film touches on O'Keeffe's new influence from the time spent in Taos, New Mexico. Balaban manages to capture the understated beauty of this region magnificently and it's all too tragic, such a vital part of O'Keefe's life merely serves as a bridge between the next snag in her love life. The viewer never gets any insight into exactly how she was inspired by this place, save for the implication of it's beauty. When O'Keeffe returns to New York and we get a scene of her working on a mural, it's once again another cheap plot device to show her mental breakdown, which is dryly handled through a montage of hospital visitors coming and going.

While Allen never tries to steal the spotlight from the story, the same can't be said for Jeremy Irons, who is always bellowing as Alfred Stiglitz. The film plays his own artistic failure for sympathy and (to my knowledge) erroneously implies he discovered Picasso, but was ignored by critics. At his worst, Irons plays a breakdown scene like a second-rate Daniel Plainview impression, made all the more noticeable by a strange inflection in his accent. Ultimately, he serves as little more than a shallow, jealous womanizer who tries to rush to the aid of his estranged wife. He's memorable, just like this film, for all the wrong reasons.

If there is one positive thing to come from viewing this film, is it inspired me to see just how much the movie left out or glossed over. Not surprisingly, O'Keeffe's life and experiences, both during the years following Stiglitz's death and those covered in the movie are far more rich and interesting than anything here. It's amazing and infuriating to find characters introduced but given no dialogue played critical roles in O'Keeffe's life. If you have any interest in this woman, save your money and buy a book about her life. There are no real answers to be found here.

The 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer faithfully reproduces a wide range of colors, from the blues and grays of the city, rich reds of a darkroom, and earthen tones of the Southwest, all essentially grain and noise free. Unfortunately, some darker scenes find actors in dark clothing disappearing into the background, due to a fairly high contrast level. Noticeable edge enhancement is the only other black mark on an otherwise well detailed transfer.

The Audio

The English 5.1 audio track is understandably front heavy, being this is a dialogue heavy movie. The surrounds get a workout when the score swells up to punctuate a dramatic moment or provide a transition in setting. Dialogue is clear and well balanced against ambient effects and music. A Portuguese 5.1 track is also included as well as English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Chinese (Traditional and Simplified), Thai, Korean, and Japanese subtitles. An additional English subtitles track for the hearing impaired is included as well.

The Extras

The lone extra is a roughly ten-minute making-of featurette titled "Portrait of an Artist: The Making of Georgia O'Keefe." It's a standard talking heads promotional piece that doesn't provide any real insight.

Final Thoughts

At only 89 minutes, "Georgia O'Keeffe" is obviously not a full look at the life of this great artist. It's a complete failure as a biopic, one could easily change the names and repackage this as a generic drama. There is little more here than the story of a women who was estranged from her husband and, every once in a while, painted a few paintings. "Georgia O'Keeffe" is easily watchable, but instantly forgettable. Skip It.