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Finding Vivian Maier

Play trailer Poster for Finding Vivian Maier 2014 1h 23m Documentary Biography Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
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95% Tomatometer 99 Reviews 89% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
The life and work of career nanny Vivian Maier and her amazing collection of 100,000 photographs.

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Finding Vivian Maier

Finding Vivian Maier

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Critics Consensus

Narratively gripping, visually striking, and ultimately thought-provoking, Finding Vivian Maier shines an overdue spotlight on its subject's long-hidden brilliance.

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Critics Reviews

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Sarah Mirk Bitch Media 01/20/2021
Finding Vivian Maier never does not reveal much about the inner life of the woman at the center of the story, but it does a solid job of its more important mission: bringing Maier's rarely seen work to light. Go to Full Review
Stephen Romei The Australian 11/07/2014
3.5/5
This is a film that starts out being about an unknown artist and ends up being about something more complex and challenging: a person. Go to Full Review
Paul Byrnes Sydney Morning Herald 11/06/2014
3.5/5
Maier's life tells us one thing: great photographers always show themselves in their work, even if they never show their work. Go to Full Review
Linda Cook OurQuadCities / WHBF-TV (Illinois) 02/05/2022
4/4
It's fascinating from the start, and even more intriguing as layers of Vivian Maier's life are revealed. Go to Full Review
David Walsh World Socialist Web Site 02/12/2021
The subject of Finding Vivian Maier is a fascinating one, which has aroused a great deal of public interest in recent years. Go to Full Review
Chris McCoy Memphis Flyer 01/09/2020
The detective story in Finding Vivian Maier wouldn't be compelling without the hundreds of incredible images that flash across the screen. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Jonathan K @aFIREintheattic 01/12/2025 So, John Maloof made this documentary about Vivian Maier, but honestly, it feels less like a tribute to her brilliant photography and more like a deep dive into the life of a woman who’s no longer around to defend her privacy. A privacy or mysteriousness she was very keen on maintaining during her life. Maloof says he's bringing her work to the world, which he does, but the film spends a lot of time turning her quirks into something freakish. All while Maloof kinda makes the whole thing about him. He can’t help but position himself as the “savior” of her work, and the self-congratulatory energy is not a good look. But here’s the thing: despite all the weirdness and sensationalism, Maier’s photos? They're stunning. They show real, messy humanity in the most beautiful way, and that’s what you walk away with. The rest of it is kind of like, who cares? We may never know her real or complete history, and it doesn't really have any bearing on her art. What matters is we get to see the world through her lens, and that’s a gift. Three stars because we got to see it. See more Georgan G 09/16/2023 3 & 1/4 stars. This odd photographer is likely be the victim of child physical & sexual abuse. Her mental illness grows over time & she leaves behind a massive body of work that is beautiful. See more 02/23/2021 2019-5-19 Very complicated. At the beginning I thought she was a warm, kids loving, and quiet person. And then for some reason which was not revealed about her inner life in the movie that she got sick, even started to abuse children. Her works were amazing. People was a difficult object for photographing. I think most of us hoard things sometimes, but you just need to get rid of something when you feel stressed. See more 10/31/2020 An unimaginable story of the previously unknown photographer, which is though told with a bit too much suspense not bringing the main questions to direct answers, leaving some kind of mystery about Mayer's life and intentions. See more 12/17/2018 One of the absolute best documentaries of all time through amateur historian John Maloof's fully committed historical investigation on a mysterious person who possessed a hidden artfully gifted gem accompanied by a surrounded personally declining mystery that soon led to a honorably posthumous legacy, and the film's brilliant craftsmanship and stunning presentation boosts the story further. (A) (Full review TBD) See more 12/16/2018 LOVED IT. This film was fascinating. I wish we knew more about the life of Vivian Maier, but this film may be the closest we get. See more Read all reviews
Finding Vivian Maier

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Movie Info

Synopsis The life and work of career nanny Vivian Maier and her amazing collection of 100,000 photographs.
Director
John Maloof, Charlie Siskel
Producer
John Maloof, Charlie Siskel
Screenwriter
John Maloof, Charlie Siskel
Distributor
IFC Films
Production Co
Ravine Pictures
Genre
Documentary, Biography, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Mar 28, 2014, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Dec 5, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$1.5M
Runtime
1h 23m
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