Movies set in the art world focus on ego, power struggles and, of course, cash. Lots of it.
What about the lesser-known art circles, populated by souls driven to create for more noble reasons?
“Showing Up” deposits us in just such a space, where artists toil in obscurity to share their work with anyone willing to look. It’s right in director Kelly Reichardt’s wheelhouse, but audiences seeking dramatic teeth will be disappointed.
That’s a fancy way of saying bored to near tears.
Michelle Williams stars as Lizzy, a Portland-based sculptor who shuffles through life as if an anvil rested on her slim shoulders. Her work is delicate and deeply felt, but that doesn’t pay the rent or make her name noteworthy.
She creates all the same, shrugging off life’s indignities. Her...