Nicole Kidman, Robert Downey Jr., Ty Burrell

Photographer Diane Arbus was considered one of the most mysterious, enigmatic and frighteningly bold artists of the 20th century. Most known for her obsession with "freak" subject matter, her haunting...( read more  read more... ) work emerged from a deeply private place. Arbus' death was as mysteriously tragic as was the aura surrounding some of her most piercing portraits.

Flixster Users

65% liked it

15,357 ratings

Critics

31% liked it

108 critics

R, 2 hrs. 2 min.

Directed by: Steven Shainberg

Release Date: November 10, 2006

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: May 8, 2007

Stats: 1,858 reviews

Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites

Your Rating



clear rating
Share on: Facebook Twitter

Flixster Reviews (1,858)


  • September 27, 2009
    Fur is a visually stunning film which is more an imagined fiction of Diane Arbus than actual bio. This is a strange and bizarre film which managed to hold my attention from beginning to end. Robert Downey Jr once again stills the show in a film. He is the master. After the cr...( read more)edits rolled, I couldn't say this was an enjoyable tale, but it was definitely weird.
  • May 31, 2009
    Pretty much fell flat for me overall. Arbus' pictures could sufficiently stand in for all the interesting points in this film. Considering the director made it clear from the start that this is an Imaginary Portrait, a lot more could have been done and perhaps more of an attempt ...( read more)to make her likeable and a little less one-dimensional.
  • April 5, 2009
    Diane Arbus is a fascinating artist. A single one of her photographs can awaken and excite dozens of feelings, questions, curiosities going in all different directions. I remember seeing some of her photographs at the pompidou a while ago without even having heard her name ever b...( read more)efore, and being very intrigued by them. Obviously, the writers of Fur understood the enigmatic character that permeates Arbus's work and came up with this imaginary biopic.

    This is a fictional account of how Diane went from being a dissatisfied, restless housewife and assistant of her husband's photostudio, to an independent, bold artist. Die-hard fans of Arbus can either love or detest this idea. Personally, and in a very psychodynamic attitude of mine, I prefer to think of this all as a metaphor of an internal transgression of hers. I think it's evident that she, at some point, had to take a step to break free of convention and into the lifestyle that would become her signature.

    A mysterious man moves into Diane's building, where she and her husband not only live but have a commercial photography studio. Diane is immediately intrigued by this individual. Her repressed tendencies towards the seedy and the freaky begin to surface. When she finally finds the courage to meet him, and surrenders to the pleasure of being frightened, she begins to change, to experiment, and surround herself with people and environments that make her happy, but which prove scary to her family, and of which they all disapprove.

    I can't say much for Nicole Kidman. She plays in the same, generic soft spoken way that has become her habit. A few inspired moments are not entirely her responsibility, they just happen to fit into her mold. When, of course, she should adapt herself to the script. Robert Downey Jr. plays the mysterious neighbor: a character that could've been, and to a lot of people is, ridiculous. The fact that he actually gave a good performance, being both charming and obscene, through a cape of fur is admirable and it's one of the things I enjoyed the most about the film. The art direction, the cinematography, and the director's slow, contemplative pace benefited the film tremendously. I think the filmmakers had the necessary awareness of Diane Arbus's meticulous cool approach to translate it onscreen. The hushed, understated soundtrack, the warm/cold palette and careful composition also add visual charm that may, at times, make up for weak points of a story that lacks credibility (although we ought to expect that, since this is an imaginary portrait) and a strong lead performance.

    I have seen Fur more than once and not because of Diane Arbus, but because of these outstanding visuals.

    Fur was never going to be a commercial success. It wasn't. The director should've foreseen this and refrained from casting Nicole Kidman -assuming he did it to give his film more publicity and increase the sales-. A more versatile actress than Kidman, which could have been basically anyone, would've given this movie, maybe, the extra strength it needs. Unfortunately, without that push, Fur borders on mediocrity. Unless you are visually enamored with it like I was, or unless you find something in the fairy tale to hook you, you might be disappointed. Still, I think, it meant well, and as an exercise it's intereting enough.
  • December 10, 2008
    ''Why do you want to take a portrait of someone you've never seen, Diane?''

    Turning her back on her wealthy, established family, Diane Arbus (Kidman) falls in with Lionel Sweeney (Downey Jr.), an enigmatic mentor who introduces Arbus to the marginalized people who help h

    ...( read more)er become one of the most revered photographers of the twentieth century.

    Nicole Kidman: Diane Arbus

    An imaginative seductive story of a most interesting lady. Although based on the autobiography this movie was a joy to watch.

    Clever shots, interesting composite of music and a dazzling array of emotion and mystery all mixed up in between the lines.

    From an artistic point of view this has a full palette of colour and vibrant use of photography.

    The film is in the same category as the ''freaks'' film based on some of it's subject matter, i found these different characters to be fascinating in their various deformities or abnormalities. Makes me wonder how we as people categorize ourselves as humans.
    Nicole Kidman as Diane Arbus is wonderfully curious and genius-laden. Her Counterpart Robert Downey Jr as Lionel Sweeney her love interest and fur effected friend conveys mystery and wonder and charisma in his role.

    At its heart the whole tale and plot reminds me of Beauty and the Beast and its beautiful and reaches into your imagination. So sad and emotional in parts, it really makes me appreciate my life and all the time i have.
    A tale of love cruelly ripped out by the confines of human frailty. That a life of wonder and imagination and following your heart leads to true happiness.

    As Diane Arbus, Nicole Kidman once again inhabits the role of a very strange personality and does it so well that she manages to take us along the odd journey on which she embarks. Her nice but mundane husband Allan (Ty Burrell) allows her to explore the presence of a new tenant Lionel, encouraging his frustrated wife to take up photography on her own rather than serving as his assistant for the fashion magazine images he grinds out. Lionel is covered with hair (hypertrichosis) and as a sideshow freak has many friends who have deformities. Arbus enters this world, loves the freedom of expression she has longed for, and in time falls in love with Lionel, leaving her family to enter completely the vision she has discovered (this is not a spoiler as the film opens with this information).

    Yes, Shainberg can be criticized for excess and for pushing the boundaries of credibility, but for this viewer that approach enhances the concept of visualizing the epiphany in an artist's life when the world changes to a form the artist can then capture and share. The sets, photography, and the acting fit the idea - even the far too prolonged love scene/body shaving sequence and aftermath that can only be described as bizarre. The film is obviously a work of love and one that honors the life of Diane Arbus, even though we are not given much true information about the woman. Veteran actors Jane Alexander and Harry Yulin add to the dignity of the project, as does a fascinatingly simple musical score by Carter Burwell.

    Worth a watch if you like imaginative movies that run through your emotions. Funny and inspiring yet emotional and turbulent.

    ''Why don't you tell a secret?''
  • May 10, 2008
    In 1958, in New York City, the upper class Diane Arbus is a frustrated and lonely woman with a conventional marriage with two daughters. Her husband is a photographer sponsored by the wealthy parents of Diane, and she works as his assistant. When Lionel Sweeney, a mysterious man ...( read more)with hypertrichosis ( a disease that causes excessive body hair), comes to live in the apartment in the upper floor, Diane feels a great attraction for him and is introduced to the world of freaks and marginalized people, falling in love with Lionel. Coming across a Gillian-lite, director Steven Shainberg is more preoccupied with atmosphere and weirdness to realistically suggest what actually made this woman tick, while essentially being based on nothing substantially true. Fur means to plant the seeds on what gave this important photographer an inner logic that helped redefine her craft, though instead ends up wallowing in it's own superficial quirks and thematic bludgeoning. "Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus" is a weird movie, actually a bizarre romance with characters that recall "The Beauty and the Beast". Nicole Kidman is impressively beautiful and gives an awesome performance together with Robert Downey Jr. His portrayal of Lionel is amazing, he makes him seductive, mysterious, sympathetic and lovable. The film is obviously a work of love and one that honors the life of Diane Arbus, even though we are not given much true information about the woman.
  • November 13, 2009
    Lionel è uno dei miei personaggi preferiti, EVER.
  • November 11, 2009
    Nicole Kidman performance is captivating without being as rich as some of her previous and later works. However, once the initial furry set up has been established the movie doesn't endeaver to do much more with its brave story. There's some muttering about desire and more than w...( read more)hat's needed on the nudism side of things, but nothing very substantial is offered. All the more annoying is that in real life her character, Diane Arbus, took her own life at 48, which is not shown or even mentioned in this loosely based biopic....

    It's hard to shake off the feeling that this mesmerising but puzzling film is a biopic masquerading as a fantasy tale, or maybe its the other way round. Whichever it may be, this is a good attempt to do something with the genre, but unfortunately it doesn't grow on you like the fur on Downey Jr.'s skin. If you're ready for something a little out of the ordinary try this film.
  • November 10, 2009
    this was a very bizzar film, i thought it was well acted and very siductively protrayed which did remind me alot of the film securaty. however i found alot of it confusing and the ending very.
    watch if your curious!
  • October 16, 2009
    What a complete and utter piece of garbage.
  • October 11, 2009
    a movie of good cine just to real cinefiles

Critic Reviews


November 21, 2006
Colin Covert, The Minneapolis Star Tribune

Much of the film is absurdist nonsense, and its symbolism is of the plank-to-the-head variety. full review

November 10, 2006
Pete Hammond, Maxim

If this sounds like your idea of a fun movie night, go for it. But its not exactly ours. full review

November 10, 2006
Kyle Smith, New York Post

Like the artists who stock the Whitney Biennial with their plastic puddles of vomit, Fur works feverishly to dress up clichés. full review

November 10, 2006
Kurt Loder, MTV

That the picture collapses into near-total absurdity doesn't diminish the daring of its concept, although it certainly calls into question its utility. full review

November 10, 2006
Marcy Dermansky, About.com

Academy Award winner Kidman is a marvelous actress, but her decision to play Arbus as a painfully shy, wavering waif diminishes her believability as an innovative artist. full review

November 9, 2006
Claudia Puig, USA Today

If you are seeking illumination about Arbus' artistry or her psyche, it's not here. full review

November 9, 2006
Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal

Fur starts stylishly, and confidently, but the film dwindles down to a chamber piece in a claustrophobic chamber. full review

November 6, 2006
David Edelstein, New York Magazine

You'd expect a conventional biopic to be bland and overly telescoped. But Arbus's life and work ought to inspire something more than the generic tale of a repressed fifties doll wife who runs off with... full review

November 2, 2006
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

The movie feels like it's still in the darkroom. full review

View more Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments


  • MichelleasaurusRex
    September 19, 2008
    Awesome movie. The love story and how Robert Downey Jr. looked made this movie incredible. It's so hard not to fall in love with Robert Downey Jr.'s character.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Official Trailer

More Like This


Click a thumb to vote on that suggestion, or add your own suggestions.

  • Frida
    Frida (50%)
  • The Phantom of the Opera
    The Phantom of the Opera (40%)
  • Beauty and the Beast
    Beauty and the Beast (50%)
  • Eyes Wide Shut
    Eyes Wide Shut (100%)

Facts


No facts approved yet. Be the first

Fur: An Imaginary... : Watch Free on TV


Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus Trivia

Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Dia... Trivia


  • Nicole "The Sandwich Artist" Kidman Movie? Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus  Answer »
  • What uber-talented A-list actor/actress starred in these small independent films? Two Girls and a Guy The Singing Detective A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus  Answer »

Recent News


No recent headlines. Got one?

Most Popular Skin


No skins yet. Interested in creating one?