Life (15)

Biography, Drama

A photographer for Life Magazine is assigned to shoot pictures of James Dean.

The critical consensus

Anton Corbijn helms an intriguing but unfocused James Dean biopic.

(*) (*) Emma Simmonds, The List, 21/09/2015

There is no chemisty between Robert Pattinson, who plays Life photographer Dennis Stock, and Dane DeHaan as James Dean in this somnolent film about the magazine’s striking 1955 photo shoot.

(*) (*) (*) Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian, 24/09/2015

Anton Corbijn is more interested in James Dean's look than his psychological make-up.

Geoffrey MacNab, The Independent, 24/09/2015

A really engrossing piece, especially if you are a movie buff.

(*) Allan Hunter, Daily Express, 25/09/2015

This anxious, antagonistic, symbiotic-but-bordering-on-parasitic relationship is nicely captured by director Anton Corbijn, who understands the medium better than most having begun his career photographing Joy Division and defining the stark aesthetic associated with frontman Ian Curtis – something Corbijn recaptured beautifully in his Curtis biopic Control.

(*) Alistair Harkness, The Scotsman, 25/09/2015

Fun while it lasts.

Sophie Monks Kaufman, Little White Lies, 25/09/2015

Anton Corbijn’s biopic of photographer Dennis Stock hanging out with James Dean is eye-catching but fails to deliver.

(*) (*) Mark Kermode, The Observer, 27/09/2015