This is a very under-rated film. Aneurin Barnard is magnetic as the confident, stubborn impertinent Cockney photographer David Bailey who crashes through the stuffy British fashion establishment with his talent, passion and determination. Instead of making him a figure of fun, or a caricature, Barnard shows how Bailey sticks up for what he senses is the right way to do his photographs. And he does have excellent instincts. His clashes with the ultra posh Vogue editor, played by Helen McCrory, are emblematic of the establishment fashion world clashing sharply with the gung-ho youth culture in the 1960s. As the model Jean Shrimpton, Karen Gillan has a quiet, doe-like, yet intelligent and otherworldly quality -- she has the X factor that makes her convincing in the role. ''I'm not changing nothing,'' says Bailey. He's willing to put his career on the line to have artistic control. Sure, it IS just about fashion, but it's a beautifully made film made with real passion and heart.
Review of We'll Take Manhattan
