REVIEW: ‘Charlotte Rampling: The Look.’ Legendary Actress Riffs on Aging and Beauty in Unconventional Documentary

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Some actors do such consistently compelling work that we feel like we "know" them, although we don't have the foggiest idea who they really are when they're not in front of a camera. And sometimes when we do get to see more of a particular actor -- say, in a long interview on "Charlie Rose" -- it can be terribly upsetting when we realize he or she isn't nearly as smart or interesting as we had hoped. That's why it's such a relief to report that "Charlotte Rampling: The Look," a candid documentary about the celebrated English actress, presents us with a Charlotte Rampling who's just as wise, funny, sexy and vulnerable as any of the characters she's played over the last 45 years. She seems like she'd be a fantastic person to spend some time with.

Unlike the typical documentary about a celebrity -- where we see them in the midst of their work or hear from their equally famous friends gushing about them -- director Angelina Maccarone's film doesn't worry about being a definitive history of Rampling's life and career. We only see some short clips from a few films, including "Stardust Memories," "Swimming Pool" and "The Verdict." We don't get an exhaustive run-through of her childhood or how she developed into an international star. Instead, "The Look" is broken up into nine chapters, which correspond to a topic such as "Age" or "Desire" or "Death." In each, she'll riff on the topic, either to Maccarone off camera or to one of her friends or collaborators, including photographer Peter Lindbergh and author Paul Auster. The documentary might as well be called "My Dinner With Charlotte" for how casual but thoughtful the conversations are.

The pitfall of such an approach is that, no matter what good company the 64-year-old beauty is, the documentary's big-theme discussion points don't always yield riveting conversation. (On occasion, you may feel like you're hanging out at the most high-end dormitory "what does it all mean?" bull-session of all time.) But while Rampling is coolly articulate discussing her performances, "The Look" really comes to life when she's not talking about her craft but instead expounding on life and mortality. Some actors work very hard to prove to the world that they're not just empty vessels by endlessly pontificating about "serious" subjects in interviews. Rampling doesn't even break a sweat; you get the sense that she could have done one of a dozen things with her life and been just as successful.

As is acknowledged by one of her peers, actresses often have a difficult time holding onto a career after about the age of 40 because of a perception that their looks start to fade. But what's clear from hanging out with Rampling in "The Look" is that her attractiveness extends beyond her lovely face. Although we do see snippets of her as a breathtaking young actress and fashion model, the 60-something Rampling is pretty ravishing in her own way: still gorgeous but more confident and comfortable, which can be quite fetching in its own way. Maybe that's why she's been able to continue to do such fine work in recent years in movies as different as "Heading South" and "Swimming Pool."

"The Look" won't be confused with a hard-hitting exposé. Rampling doesn't talk about her battles with depression or her divorces, and Maccarone simply lets her speak for herself without digging any deeper. But I didn't find that to be a major weakness. "Charlotte Rampling: The Look" might attract fans of the actress, but in a way it might play even better for those who don't know her work at all. Subtly, this documentary is one of the few that argues that its subject's stardom isn't nearly the most interesting thing about her. Of all the things I was expecting to learn about Rampling, that definitely wasn't on the list.

Grade: B