Quartile rating: 7.5/10 · 1 rating
IRIS pairs legendary 87-year-old documentarian Albert Maysles with Iris Apfel, the quick-witted, flamboyantly dressed 93-year-old style maven who has had an outsized presence on the New York fashion scene for decades. More than a fashion film, the documentary is a story about creativity and how, even in Iris’ dotage, a soaring free spirit continues to inspire. IRIS portrays a singular woman whose enthusiasm for fashion, art and people are life’s sustenance and reminds us that dressing, and indeed life, is nothing but an experiment.
Iris Apfel is a genuinely singular subject — witty, eccentric, and utterly her own creation — and Maysles captures her with warmth and intimacy in what would be one of his final films. The documentary's novelty comes from its subject herself: a 93-year-old style icon who defies every convention of aging and fashion, offering a perspective that feels truly one-of-a-kind. The film's cinematography is functional and observational in the classic Maysles vein — not flashy but purposeful. The plot is loosely structured around vignettes of Iris's life and philosophy rather than a traditional narrative arc, which works for the subject but limits dramatic tension. Acting is moot in documentary terms, though Apfel herself is a natural and magnetic presence. The ending is warm but doesn't rise to anything particularly resonant beyond the celebratory tone maintained throughout.