Meltzer captures the sense of carelessness — intentional and benign — that marked Birkin’s life ... But Meltzer’s extensive reporting only goes so far; her portrayal is based on Birkin’s published diaries, media coverage and public performances ... Both intimate and removed.
The actress emerges as a glamorous, self-interrogating personality, both like and unlike her public image ... For Birkin, getting older meant a kind of invisibility, a prospect that at once unnerved and elated her ... Meltzer is not quite sure how to handle this phase of Birkin’s life.
