‘Lady’ (2025)

A mockumentary-style presentation of the life of an isolated aristocrat, ‘Lady’ follows Lady Isabella (or Izzy) (Sian Clifford) as indie filmmaker Sam (Laurie Kynaston) and his crew track the patrician in preparation for a documentary for Netflix. Following around the awkward woman and her helper Becky (Juliet Cowan), Sam soon learns that he’s actually aiding in Lady Isabella’s vanity project as she seeks notoriety. Plagued by an unforeseen incident, Sam and Izzy decide to work together on producing a project that will help both of them find their artistic voice.

Following the painfully aristocratic Lady Isabella, Clifford delivers a wonderfully snobbish character. From her awkward introduction, as she hides away while the film crew arrive at the doorstep of her sprawling manor, it is clear that the woman desperately wants to create a façade that is clearly contrived.

Wanting to appear suave, Izzy leads Sam through her stately manor. In an awkward attempt to locate the ice bucket to cool the admittedly tepid and unacceptable Bloody Marys she had prepared earlier for herself and the director, we are invited into the maze-like mansion, housing the chaotic opulence and seemingly unending indulgence of its inhabitant.

Led magnificently by the incomparable Clifford, the actress delivers astutely a character that could have been one-note, wearing out her welcome long before the film’s conclusion. What we’re treated to instead is a more nuanced take on the rich wanting to be noticed and remembered.

Introducing herself as the ‘aristocracy’s answer to the Kardashians’, the opening salvo may have led one to believe Izzy will be prancing about for the most part, delivering the same kind of social ineptitude seen in David Brent or any of the characters from ‘Arrested Development’ (2003) really. Instead, Izzy’s initial self-centredness and desperate need to be documented is eventually overshadowed by intermittent scatterings of personal information that slowly construct the image of a lonely and grief-stricken woman.

Setting itself apart from an already well-trodden genre, the mockumentary introduces a fantastical element to its narrative, adding to the core of Lady Isabella’s already tragic story. Slowly becoming translucent, Izzy’s hands start to disappear after Sam confronts her about the nature of the project, revealing he now knows Isabella had hired him under false pretences.

In shock about what is happening, Sam convinces Isabella to continue filming, even without the backing of a production company. Exploring further the up-and-coming indie filmmaker’s intentions, the film again could have focused solely on the singular aspect of Kynaston’s character as someone trying to make a name for themselves in the business, exploiting whatever he can just to make an impression.

Instead, the feature acknowledges that both Izzy and Sam are clinging on to one another as they develop an admittedly ill-timed intimate relationship and later confront each other about their shortcomings. Bouncing off one another, however, the two manage to learn from each other and grow as individuals because of their differences.

Ultimately disappearing altogether, Isabella threatens suicide as she comes to terms with her condition and laments the tragic loss of her son. With the backing of Becky, Sam convinces Izzy to perform in the Stately Stars talent show, hosted by her at her mansion for underprivileged children.

Convincing Izzy to go on, they show up late having already missed the event, but choose to go on regardless. The joint effort results in Sam overcoming his fear of public speaking with Izzy’s help and her slowly rematerialising. Having helped each other, they part ways with Sam leaving all the raw footage for Izzy to decide what to do with.

Fantastically uncomfortable yet unexpectedly heart-warming, not unlike the main character herself, ‘Lady’ taps into a wholesome tale of two different worlds colliding. Having made a memorable splash in the satirical genre, writer and director Samuel Abrahams’ debut speaks volumes to the potential the filmmaker can bring to the table. With an apt grasp on the subject matter, Abrahams guides his players well and magnificently captures Lady Isabella, an iconic character fit for a film about herself.

Score: 4/4