Lee Parent Guide

Elizabeth “Lee” Miller (Kate Winslet) is more than just another pretty face. The former American fashion model has become a highly respected photographer and enjoys a carefree life traveling in France as she dabbles in artistic and amorous activities.

The start of World War II jolts Lee into high gear. She returns to London with her lover, artist Roland Penrose (Alexander Skarsgard) and bullies Vogue magazine into hiring her as a photojournalist. When the military brass won’t permit her to attend press briefings, Lee chronicles the contributions made by women to the war effort. Her work is well received but Lee wants more…

British military policy bans female journalists from the battlefront, so Lee finally turns to the American military, which accredits her as a photographer and permits travel to France. She’s still barred from the frontlines, but Lee is determined, and the chaos of war soon gives her the opportunity she craves. But there’s an old saying; “Be careful what wish for: you might get it.” Achieving her professional goals will come with a heavy price, one that could overshadow the rest of her life.

Lee is a searing, painful, brilliant film. This is not a triumphalist “hooray, the good guys won” WWII movie. It’s an agonizing exploration of trauma, of the wounds of the soul incurred by everyone caught up in the battles, their aftermath, and the unspeakable horrors of the Holocaust. The story is so painful that I felt bruised in mind and heart after watching it – but I also felt richer for the experience. Movies like this are the reason I keep wading through the endless tide of mediocre cinema: sometimes you come across a film that lets you see the world through someone else’s life, and the experience changes or enlightens or shakes you. Lee is such a film.

As Lee tells its agonizing story, the script occasionally stutters, but the actors never do. Kate Winslet gives a masterclass here, portraying Lee’s iron will, independence, fierce determination, and the horror that sinks into her bones. The rest of the very capable cast also shine, but they are clearly stars circling Ms.Winslet’s blazing sun.

My only complaint about this film – and it is a significant one for parents or teachers looking for teen friendly films – is the nudity. Early in the movie comes an extended take where two women attend a picnic topless, breasts clearly visible for several minutes as they eat and talk with male and female friends. Another scene features a topless woman, who has paint smeared on her chest as part of a project to design camouflage patterns. And a woman’s breasts are briefly visible in a bathtub scene. In each of these scenes, I can see the rationale behind the director’s choices, but I still regret that they make this R-rated film unsuitable for younger viewers (and for older ones who object to on-screen nudity).

Other negative content in the movie is less gratuitous and drives the plot. There are scenes of battlefield violence and medical treatment for wounds, but these are clearly necessary in the story of a war photographer. Particularly painful are the scenes shot in a concentration camp. Even those of us who are familiar with the history will feel Lee’s shock and horror as the extent of the atrocity dawns on her. Not surprisingly, Lee is overwhelmed by the darkness around her and her coping mechanism for pain and trauma involves the consumption of large amounts of alcohol and an unnamed drug to “take the edge off”.

Journalism movies are one of my favorite genres: I appreciate the protagonists’ grit, determination, and tireless drive to find truth and bring it to light. Lee turbocharges these attributes, but it also depicts the terrible price Elizabeth Miller pays to expose realities people didn’t always want to face. The film asks us if we, in our own day, are willing to set aside our own comfortable fictions to confront and act on unpleasant truths. It’s a hard question but the answers are up to us.