Release Date: 16-03-2007
UK Certificate: 18

Although some might still regard the work of photographer Diane Arbus as shocking, there’s no denying she is one of the greatest artists of the 20th century. She had a visionary’s perception of life that saw her drawn towards the unusual, which, through her stark black-and-white images, allowed her to open people’s eyes to see beauty in things that are commonly regarded as being ugly. She committed suicide in 1971.

This unusual movie, inspired by Patricia Bosworth’s book Diane Arbus: A Biography, explores an imaginary relationship between Arbus (Nicole Kidman), a constrained wife, mother and photographic assistant, and her mysterious upstairs neighbour Leon (Robert Downey Jr), an ex-sideshow freak. Through this peculiar yet insightful friend, Arbus discovers her true self from both a sexual and creative perspective – unleashing her fascination with death and the darker side of existence. Leon instigates this by introducing her to an underground Manhattan that is populated by freaks and social outcasts. It proves the inspiration she needs to pick up a camera and unleash her genius.

Rather than trying to replicate the austere look of Arbus’ art, Secretary director Steven Shainberg spectacularly manages to visualise the magic of the story simply by playing it straight. It’s a technique shared by the central performers in Fur: Kidman’s depiction of Arbus’ myriad moods is superb, while Downey Jr is thoroughly enigmatic in his take on (real-life freak) Jo-Jo the dog-faced boy.

Arbus once said “Most people go through life dreading that they’ll have a traumatic experience. Freaks were born with their trauma. They’ve already passed their test in life. They’re aristocrats.” These are words that feel embedded in every frame of this poignant yet comical and compelling feature. The tale may be fiction, but it’s executed and performed with such imagination and conviction that you’ll leave the cinema believing what you’ve watched is indeed a true story.