SVS: “Iris”

Today’s film is perhaps best thumbnail-sketched as “The Legendary, Dearly -Departed Documentarian, Albert Maysles, Makes A Masterful Documentary About Edna Mode.” It’s a little bit of an over-simplification, because 94-year-old fashion icon Iris Apfel isn’t quite as aggressively sarcastic (or as short) as Edna. But the glasses are spot-on.

Yes, I’m talking about Iris, currently streaming on NETFLIX INSTANT and rentable from AMAZON INSTANT($).

Albert Maysles focuses on a fashion legend, who at 93 is still at the top of her game, choosing dresses, advising models and haggling with buyers.

Maysles had the most extraordinary fly-on-the-wall ability, and spun a wonderful career out of training his camera on Bizarre-Yet-Fascinating Folks doing Bizarre-Yet-Fascinating Things — (Yes, I’m looking at you, Grey Gardens! — and this film is certainly no exception to that rule. But unlike the quirky-and-vaguely-unbalanced folks at the heart of Gardens, Iris is not unsettling. Not really. Sure she’s wildly eccentric, but there’s more to love (and less to trouble) about her . The “Carl-and-Ellie” interactions with her 100-year-old husband are really touching — a fascinating example of two incredibly odd birds that fit together perfectly. (Did they fit together 60+ years ago? Who knows. But the decades have certainly worn down the rough edges, and now they are perfect for one another.)

Like Maysles’ other works, there are some extraordinarily small (yet powerful) details, like watching the reflections in Iris’ huge, round glasses; seeing things through her eyes. Or the recurring moments where she rubs the back of her husband’s head as she stands next to him. Or the moments when she seems very tired. And sometimes, very sad. But usually when no one’s looking. (No one but Albert, that is.)

Unlike some of Maysles’ other works, though, it’s much less “fly-on-the-wall.” There are a number of charming moments where Iris acknowledges Maysles’ presence, and a few (equally charming) where she actually interacts with him. There’s even a moment or two where you see the master at work, hunched over his camera and refusing to look away no matter the distraction. Great stuff.

All in all, a touching, appropriate finale to Maysles’ long and impressive career.

Attribution(s): All posters, publicity images, and stills are the property of Magnolia Pictures and other respective production studios and distributors.