Westwood: Punk, Icon, Activist

Westwood's loyalties feel torn and the fashion house is plunged into drama. It makes this the perfect film to double bill 'Phantom Thread' with.

"Westwood" is definitely better than mediocre, though you wish there were a bit more to it.

She's a bit of a prickly pear but Tucker captures the essential Westwood: down to earth, resourceful and likeable.

It's amazing to watch.

I accept that she was popular, and am even willing to take on faith that her work is brilliant. But I would have liked to know why it's brilliant.

It provides a fascinating, involving glimpse of both who Westwood was back in the day and who she is at this particular moment in time, so much so that we genuinely miss her once the credits begin to roll.

It's a nice little documentary that doesn't dare to dig too deep, mostly covering the varying of chapters of Westwood's life quickly while avoiding any and all controversy.

There's plenty of interesting archival footage, as well as great contextualising commentary from the people around the dame.

Obviously, Westwood is a great talent, and her career stands for itself. But the Westwood who sits for director Lorna Tucker's camera doesn't seem to want to be there and tells her story - barely - with no excitement.

Lorna Tucker's documentary portrait focuses equally on what happened afterwards, painting its subject as a committed activist, an artist with no time for convention or false modesty, and a personality worth spending time with.

Lorna Tucker's study of Vivienne Westwood is amiable enough but has its detractors.

The film is a fair and, I think, a well-meaning attempt to cover her life in all its dizzying variety - hence the scattiness.