It makes sense that a documentary about Faye Dunaway doubles as a documentary about the best of late 20th-century cinema. Dunaway, after all, has starred in many defining films, including Bonnie & Clyde, Chinatown, and Network, the latter of which won her an Oscar. But there are times when it feels like the documentary equates Dunaway to her career, and we get way too many clips of these admittedly great films, as opposed to more intimate slices of Dunaway’s life. Still, it’s heartwarming to see Dunaway take control of her narrative after falling victim to the press’ relentless defamation of the star. Yes, she’s difficult and a diva, she admits that many times in the documentary. But she’s also a fastidious hard worker—someone’s gotta be, or else they wouldn’t come up with the classics that we have now.
"Connecting an actor’s onscreen personality with his or her offscreen reality tends to be a dicey proposition. But in “Faye,” an addictive and essential portrait of Faye Dunaway, it turns out to be the right thing to do."
— Owen Gleiberman
Through honest reflection, complemented by insight from colleagues and friends, Faye Dunaway contextualizes her life and filmography, laying bare her struggles with mental health while confronting the double standards she was subjected to as a woman in Hollywood.
Director Laurent Bouzereau interviews the legendary Faye Dunaway as they recall the highs and lows of her personal life and storied career.
Faye herself, who as her son puts it, is very much all her characters.
For fans, this is the redemptive coverage they’ve been waiting for their idol.
