I can't remember which poet said it now, but when questioned on why we create art he responded, "to make our living and dying important again, and the living and dying of others." By this measure, Dreams of a Life is an artistic triumph; it does exactly that. If Carol Morley had not re-invented herself as a private detective who would know about Joyce Vincent's story now? The tenacity and iron will it must have taken to get this project off the ground is evident in the care with which this film has been made. Not only in terms of what it draws out of the people who knew Joyce, but also in the skilled reconstructions and outstanding performances from the cast.
The film is fresh and offers something new to the genre with its blurring of documentary and drama. There are moments in the film to make your heart break but as much as anything the film is a celebration and a remembrance of a life lived.
The film is fresh and offers something new to the genre with its blurring of documentary and drama. There are moments in the film to make your heart break but as much as anything the film is a celebration and a remembrance of a life lived.