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Portrait of an Artist as a Young Woman

© Rachel Gordon

Despite the attraction of Go’s Sarah Polley, this coming of age, romantic drama was undeservedly ignored during its theatrical run. Perhaps because this genre has become increasingly saturated with consistent box office flops unless, they star Julia Roberts or Meg Ryan.

But Guinevere demands respect from the first images of simple photographs of the parts of a woman’s body, which we learn through crisp, spare voiceover are of the title character. She tells when the photographs were taken, and even a brief synopsis about the relationship between she and the photographer. The camera is now in a pawn shop, and where she admits the relationship was a mistake, she would still not give up the experience if she had a chance to go back.

After the credits and pictures, we travel back to Harper’s (Polley) sisters wedding. Harper is walking around in an uncomfortable dress and trying to be cordial as everyone congratulates her on entrance to Harvard, but failing miserably. She steps outside to drink champagne from the bottle and meets the photographer, Connie (Stephen Rea of The Crying Game, Butcher Boy. They chat amicably and she asks for her not to be in any pictures because she doesn’t like being looked at.

When Harper goes to pick up the photographs for her family, Connie is having an altercation with an upset young woman, who is even more disgusted when Harper walks in. Harper sits to look at pictures with him, have a couple of drinks, and he provokes her to judge his work. When she returns home, she finds she isn’t in any of the family pictures, but there is a single picture of her looking off in her old world peacefully and it is signed to “My Guinevere” from Connie.

Harper increasingly goes to visit Connie and finally moves in with him after lying to her family about her entrance to Harvard. She doesn’t know what she wants but realizes her current path is uncomfortable. Connie says she must work on something artistic in order to stay with him, to help him during his shoots, and obviously they end up sleeping together. Harper swears she is bookish without any artistic merit, but Connie promises to pull her talent out of her. She jumps to the chance, knowing she can leave at any time.

What ensues is a entertaining journey of how mentor and pupil learn from each other. Even though Connie is a serial monogamist with women young enough to be his daughter, he accepts and encourages Harper to grow and become comfortable with herself in a simple way that nobody else in her life does. He may not be the most physically appealing person, but he cares about the women he encounters working for what they love instead of what is expected of them, and this alone is a strong draw.