I’m not writing a review, but just a few very personal observations on a film I definitely liked (although I still don’t know how much I liked it; I think I’ll have to watch it at least another time to appreciate it fully).
This is certainly a film that is going to split up audiences and critics into 2 groups: those who love it and those who *do not like* it. In my opinion, this depends on the fact that its authors have chosen to set Fur in a bizarre universe of its own, which some may find attractive and others a bit too weird. It’s not just because the film is peopled with dwarves or giants or men covered with hair. It’s the atmosphere, the colours, the shots: all these things and many others help to create the peculiar look of the film. Sometimes, when you’re watching Fur, it feels like you are in a dream. Or in Diane’s head. If you get accostumed to this look, if you aren’t put off by the bizarre things (like the insistence on hair/s and fur), or the not-so-good-looking naked people (the beginning and ending of the film take place in a nudist camp), or the sex scenes (two of them, quite explicit), then you may like this film very much, and find it original, deep and surprising. Moreover, the actors are all wonderful (Nicole, of course, but also Ty Burrell, who plays her husband, and Robert Downey Jr, with his sweet, sorrowful eyes, and his great voice!).
Basically Fur tells the love story between Diane and Lionel, two people who live wearing masks or too many layers of clothes. Lionel guides Diane in a voyage of self-discovery (but we know from the beginning that she has a dark side: for example she likes removing her clothes in front of the window) through which she finally becomes an artist and can take her first real photographs. Diane assists Lionel in many ways, and in the end helps him to get his freedom (I’m not going to tell you how, it’s a huge spoiler).
This story is told like a modern fairy tale (Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is quoted in many ways: there’s even a white rabbit!; or Beauty and the Beast). There’s also a lot of symbolic meaning in the objects of the film (the key, the mask, the fur, the clothes, the eyes, ...). I just want to add that towards the end of the movie there’s a scene set by the ocean that I liked a lot, even if it’s actually very sad; they have nothing in common, but it reminded me the famous scene at the beach from Birth.
Nicole is absolutely beautiful in this film (in a scene she’s wearing a red dress that looks wonderful on her). Her acting is just brilliant. Unfortunately, I’m not good at analysing an actor’s performance… I’ll just say that when I saw her in those clothes, with that hair, doing the things she does in the film, I never thought for a moment I was watching Nicole acting on the screen, but a gentle, educated woman from the 1950s, who loved her daughters and husband, felt trapped in her life and finally found the courage to explore her dark side and find herself.
ciao

Thank you, I can't wait for Fur to be released in the UK . The descriptions of the movie just gets me intrigued more and more .

Thank you for the great review

I agree with Skanky about the movie

Thank you, Samantha Stevens, for the write-up. I'm thoroughly impressed that you stayed calm enough to pay attenton to the film and remembered the details, after meeting Nicole 'up close and personal' on the red carpet. Well done!

oh my! thank you for sharing your thoughts.

wow thanks! i am soo excited!!! i have to find a way to see that movie as its R rated.. my sister works at a cinima so it should be okay!:P:P:P hehehehe

I'm glad you had a good time!
thanksssss for the personal notes.

Sounds very very interesting. Thank you!

Thanks! Fan reviews are THE BEST!!! Can't wait till I turn 18!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you so much Samantha Stevens for your very insightful descriptions of FUR. This reminds me of a film FAR FROM HEAVEN where a 1950s housewife (portrayed by Julianne Moore in a rather subtle performance) went against conventional values by having an affair with a man of colour.
It's such a delight reading your encounter with Nicole Kidman, who I think is extremely gracious to come over to you and your friends.
She's such a beautiful and warm person

Thanks so much Samantha for the review!

And I know this doesn't mean much to the rest of you but someone that I really trust when it comes to film at another forum(he has seen every film under the sun) posted his top ten so far this year and Fur was number 5. So that was a delight to see.

Fur is definitely a must see for me! Can't wait!!!!!!!!!

Nice thoughts, Samantha. We are waiting eagerly for Fur.

thanks samantha! i can't wait for this, especially after your thoughts and the short scenes on the aussie news video that aren't included in the trailer. seems to be very moving. anyway, wsn't moulin rouge like this? very flamboyant and if it wasn't the first musical to open in years, it might have split the critics even more. i remember roger ebert saying it's like being trapped in an elevator with a circus (not the exact words but the gist... he gave it a thumbs up i think). and i remember nicole saying this (fur) was like an acid trip.

omg thanks so much for the review it was wonderful! I won't be able to get in to see it which sux, though i will try, but i'll probably have to buy it which is VERY annoying. Considering the amount of time i've waited for this film lol.

Wow thanx so much Samantha I can't wait for the film 2 come out here in da UK The more I read about da film, the more I wanna watch it

~Viviana~

Thanks for your interesting review.

sorry if i should post this in another space but i would like to know if Nic will promote Fur in other cities.I think it would be very important for the film.

Thanks for your candid observations-you have really made me curious to see this movie, and I really like the way you have described it.

Thanks for the review Sam!

Thanks for the details and opinions!

Thanks for your personal review SS.

I like your honesty. And I like your modesty on not knowing how to judge a performance. I too have that problem. What defines a great actor? I assume if I am convinced by a performance of complicated emotions etc, and not overwhelmed with a sense of the acting acting, that the performance is well on the way to being a great one. Perhaps, too, it is slightly indefinable. We just "know".

It is an interesting review, conjuring up much more than I thought there was in Fur.

Some excellent points Foxy!

It's always a disappointment to shell out hard-earned money to see a film and discover that the best bits were all in the trailer, or the trailer pretty much told you everything you needed to know about the film already. This certainly does not sound as though that's the case with Fur.

Thank you VERY much, Samantha!
Your thoughts really made me look different on the movie. I am looking forward to Fur a LOT! And now, even more!
It's so exciting.

Thank you,Samantha!!!! I can't wait to see Fur!!!!!