Seeing Whelan move with grace and elegance across the stage is as much storytelling as you need, but this all access documentary paints a full portrait and explains her importance in the field.
The documentary Restless Creature: Wendy Whelan speaks not only to fans of ballet and elite athletes, but also to everyone captivated by determination, self-awareness, and a commitment to pursuing what they love in life, despite serious setbacks.
"Restless Creature" isn't a mere celebration of a great artist; it's a moving portrait of what happens when that artist confronts the possibility of not being able to make that art any more.
What little dancing we do see is lovely to watch, but it's also lovely to see a performer who once seemed to have an iron grip on the barre finally learn how to be gracious and let go.
It's that intimacy that makes Restless Creature: Wendy Whelan an artist documentary that will play movingly -- inspiringly, even -- for those who aren't already fans.
The way the ineffable Whelan still moves onstage is not entirely human -- but the courage and spirit she brings to a difficult transition is completely relatable.
The film offers a trove of insights into the world of dance, including many glimpses of famed choreographers and fellow performers, and reveals a performer as remarkable for her warmth and candor as for her singular artistry.
