Grey Gardens is one of those rare straight-to-TV movies that is far superior than it ever had the right to be.
Based on the 1976 documentary of the same name, the movie encircles two protagonists by the names of Edie and Little Edie, played by Hollywood icons Jessica Lange and Drew Barrymore respectively. The pair are revealed very early on as being the aunt and cousin of former First Lady Jackie Kennedy, which would undoubtedly come as a sure surprise if you didn’t know that information already. Grey Gardens is named after the once glamorous manor in which they dwelt, as the viewer is given some of their backstory before the duo become reclusive, losing their grip on reality and way in which society has changed.
Quirky story line aside, there’s a lot to like about this movie. Most strikingly, the two lead actors are absolutely outstanding. Lange is as perfect and timeless as she always is, but it is Barrymore who gives the best performance of her career here. You know usually when you see Drew Barrymore in a movie and it’s almost as if she’s just playing herself? Not this time. She fully immerses herself into the psyche of her character, and it’s easy to forget that she’s not actually Little Edie. She is without a doubt outstanding here.
Of course the story is a true one, so little was needed in the form of imagination when it came to writing the script – it’s shocking all on its own. A great and purposeful choice however is the composition of the movie. A non-linear timeline is chosen and works really well; what could have been a “this happened then this happened then this happened” type of affair is immediately more interesting as a result of the way the plot is set out.
The content itself is fascinating. Parts of it are so extremely sad and moving that it becomes hard to believe that it is so closely based on a true story. Rather than portraying the two leads as “quirky” and “odd”, the filmmakers force you to really care about both the characters and the real people they portray. Afterwards, I felt as though I really understood each of them as people, rather than caricatures, which was a really nice – albeit very depressing – feeling.
Whilst this isn’t the most thrilling movie you’ll ever see, it is so poignant and extremely well made that it doesn’t matter. If you’re looking for something insane in terms of stunts and fantasy, you better look elsewhere. But if you’re looking for something that seems too insane to be true, this is your movie.
Final thoughts? This is an eternally interesting tale that deserves to be told, and I’m so glad it was.
Grey Gardens is available to rent for £2.49 on https://uk.chili.com/.
TQR Category Ratings:
Performance: 
Cinematography:
Soundtrack:
Costume & Set Design:
Plot:
Overall Enjoyability Rating:
The Quayside Review 