Life
A guarded photographer and a volatile young star form an uneasy alliance while creating the images that will define James Dean’s public legend.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Mild
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- melancholic
- intimate
- restrained
- quiet evening
- classic hollywood movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film an admirably crafted, well-acted, diverting portrait whose intimate Stock-Dean relationship is more compelling than its restrained treatment of Dean's intensity.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Dennis Stock's assignment frames the tension between documenting James Dean and shaping public mythology through photographs.
The story focuses on Dean's early Hollywood period and Stock's photo thread rather than covering Dean's entire life.
Stock and Dean develop a subtly queer, anti-romantic friendship marked by mutual scrutiny and flirtation.
The film recreates 1950s Hollywood environments and the circumstances behind recognizable LIFE Magazine images with polished period craft.
Films like Life, and why
My Week with Marilyn
shared biographical drama, hollywood history, and intimate artist portrait
The Last Tycoon
shared classic hollywood setting, celebrity mythology, and melancholic interpersonal drama
The Public Eye
shared photographer subject, artistic ambition, and emotionally guarded central relationship
Control
shared biographical drama and troubled celebrity portraiture with restrained visual craft
Movie Details
- Director
- Anton Corbijn
- Release Date
- 2015-09-09
- Runtime
- 112 min
- Rating
- 6.0 / 10 (378)
Cast
- Robert Pattinson
- Dane DeHaan
- Joel Edgerton
- Ben Kingsley
- Kelly McCreary
- Kristian Bruun
- Lauren Gallagher
- Kendal Rae
- Alessandra Mastronardi
- Stella Schnabel
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, Philo, Fandor Amazon Channel, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Midnight Pulp Amazon Channel, Cineverse Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Life about?
- A guarded photographer and a volatile young star form an uneasy alliance while creating the images that will define James Dean’s public legend.
- What is Life like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Life as measured, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Life violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Life.
- What did critics think of Life?
- Critics broadly found the film an admirably crafted, well-acted, diverting portrait whose intimate Stock-Dean relationship is more compelling than its restrained treatment of Dean's intensity.
- Which films are like Life?
- Films with a similar feel include My Week with Marilyn, The Last Tycoon, The Public Eye, and Control.
- How long is Life?
- Life runs 112 minutes.
- Where can I watch Life?
- In United States, Life streams on Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, Philo, Fandor Amazon Channel, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Midnight Pulp Amazon Channel, Cineverse Amazon Channel.
