Review: William Eggleston In The Real World (B)

William Eggleston In The Real World (2005)
Directed by Michael Almereyda
Starring William Eggleston
MPAA: UR
Grade: B

Review by Sebastian Francis Kennedy

An unusual photographer to say the least, William Eggleston brings a unique perspective to photography. Eggleston photographs the seemingly mundane, the simple and the most obvious items and locations around us. However, his detached, mysterious style is haunting and at times inviting. The documentary William Eggleston In The Real World does a fair job of illuminating the work of this esteemed artist.

Directed by Michael Almereyda, the slow moving documentary William Eggleston In The Real World mimicks the dry, subtle style of it's subject. Unfortunately, this manner does not lend itself as well to film as it does photography. While the film is engaging as a whole, there are large chunks of the film that leave one wondering "Is this going anywhere?". The narrative is a tad pretentious and yet the film still succeeds in it's goal: at the end of the documentary, you can't help but want to see more.

William Eggleston In The Real World is a good documentary about a very strange, yet talented photographer. If you are a student of photography or enjoy offbeat artists, then this is a must see.