A look at the life of photographer Robert Mapplethorpe from his rise to fame in the 1970s to his untimely death in 1989.
I am incredibly drawn to films that are raw, shocking with uncomfortable subject matter so I knew “Mapplethorpe” would deliver in a good way. This is the story of photographer Robert Mapplethorpe, who was known for his explicit, shocking photographs in the ’70s – ’80s era. The movie takes us through his journey as a young starving artist and how he became famous for his unique explicit photographs up until his death.
The story takes off when Robert Mapplethorpe (Matt Smith) who is a struggling artist, meets Patti (Marianne Rendon) one day in the park; from that moment on, they become inseparable. Patti, an artist herself with nowhere to go, agrees to move in with Robert. They help and take care of each other and it is obvious that she becomes his distraction to cover up his true sexuality. His love of drawing turns into photography when he meets a woman named Sandy (Tina Benko) who introduces him to the camera; which he becomes obsessed with. When Robert began, he was actually known for portraits of flowers, which were dark, even erotic. However, not long after, he began to reveal a liking to a more eccentric art form involving nudity with mostly men and what was labeled more pornographic at that time. After finally admitting to Patti his interest in men, she decides to leave him. When she does leave, he becomes open with his homosexuality, visiting underground S&M clubs, even picking men up on the street to photograph and of course sleeping with them. As Robert begins showing off his photos, there are people who take a liking to his bold, sexual art form. One of these people is a man named Sam (John Benjamin Hickey). He is much older and had access to the higher-ups in the art world that could get Robert’s work seen and sold. Sam takes Robert under his wing, gives him a place to live and helps him propel his career. In the meantime, there are lots of other men, promiscuity, and cocaine.
I loved this film because it was raw and to the point. There is a lot of sex and it is definitely not for the conservative eye or young adult. Please do NOT bring your teenagers along to see this movie, they will never look at you the same way ever again. If you didn’t know who Robert Mapplethorpe was, you will definitely get a feel of a human being who wanted to be loved, wanted to express himself, and refused to tone himself down for the sake of making money off his art or being liked by others. He was talented, outspoken and lived the way he wanted to live. He was also sexually irresponsible, cold, and self-centered. I felt a lot of pain, inner struggle, rebellion and longing for love, especially from his father. I loved the cast, the relationships between the characters, especially his brother Edward (Brandon Sklenar) whom he treats worse than a stranger, but remains there for him until he eventually dies. You will love this film and will not be able to take your eyes off the screen. It is powerful, moving and eye-opening.
Samuel Goldwyn Films will release “Mapplethorpe” in New York, Los Angeles & Chicago March 1st
