Factory Girl [DVD] [2007]

As interesting for its portrayal of Warhol as well as Sedgwick, the film charts the latter’s involvement in the former’s life, following her descent into drug addiction and how her days took a downward turn.

Still, it’s hard to describe Factory Girl’s take on all of this as the most objective of biopics, and it’s frustrating in some ways, yet does continually retain your interest for the duration of your running time. Sienna Miller’s portrayal of Sedgwick is fine, and certainly a career best, although Guy Pearce as Andy Warhol is perhaps the most impressive among the talented cast (which also features American Beauty’s Mena Suvari and Star Wars’ Hayden Christensen).

The film around this cast is a little muddled, though, and does ask a fair amount of its audience in caring for characters who are put across with little compassion. But if you are willing to put some effort in, Factory Girl nonetheless does deliver a real glimpse into some very unconventional lives. It’ll be interesting now to see how Sienna Miller builds on the performance; she certainly helps lift this film into one that’s at least worth a viewing. --Jon Foster

Synopsis
Best known for playing muse to Andy Warhol, Edie Sedgwick was a dazzling young socialite who found herself at the apex of the pop art scene in 1960s New York. In FACTORY GIRL, Sienna Miller is the enchanting, enigmatic Edie, offering a moving characterisation of the extremely troubled model/actress. The film kicks off as Edie, the daughter of a well-to-do horse rancher, leaves art school and moves to Manhattan in the mid-'60s. Her friend Chuck Wein (Jimmy Fallon) introduces her to Andy Warhol (Guy Pearce), and Andy is immediately taken with the waifish, wealthy Edie. He welcomes her into his Factory, the silver aluminum-foil covered loft where an assortment of artists and oddballs assisted him with his projects. Edie quickly falls into the hard partying, drug-addled scene, starring in Andy's experimental films and becoming his constant companion. She becomes well-known for her unique style, and the fashion industry taps her as its very first 'It' girl. Edie is flying high on Andy, speed, and stardom, when she happens to meet the Bob Dylan-esque 'Folksinger' (Hayden Christenson). She falls in love with him, and in doing so, falls out of Andy's favour. Her drug addiction spirals out of control, her parents cut off her cashflow, and her very bright star seems to burn out almost as quickly as it rose. As with most biopics, people are sure to quibble over the accuracy of FACTORY GIRL, and whether it offers fair portrayals of so many larger-than-life cultural icons. However, viewers are sure to agree that it makes a poignant statement about the pitfalls of fame. When Warhol tells Edie's mother that her daughter is going to be 'super famous', Mrs. Sedgwick coldly responds: 'and what exactly would be the value of that?' Judging from the very tragic, short life of Edie, there wasn't much value in it at all.

• DVD & Blu-ray > Drama

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