Lady is an off-beat comedy about a lonely, narcissistic aristocrat who dupes a struggling, opportunistic director into filming her every move. But her obsession with the spotlight takes a surreal turn when she starts becoming… invisible. Blending mockumentary and magical realism, Lady satirises our desperate need to feel seen.
The Garden Cinema View:
What initially manifests as slightly mean-spirited satire of upper class pomposity and eccentricity morphs into moving rebuke of exploitative filmmaking and media (Netflix). Lady is propelled by a ferocious and precocious performance by Sian Clifford as the titular aristocrat dealing with delusions of grandeur, her own self-esteem, and some unexpected body horror. Much of your enjoyment will ride or die on Clifford’s scenery chewing. Whilst the film is ostensibly in a comic register, it is often more disturbing than actually funny. Lady shares some of the fascinatingly peculiar sadness found in Grey Gardens, or at least the Documentary Now! spoof version: ‘Sandy Passage’.
Our screening on Thursday 13 August was followed by a Q&A with Sian Clifford.
