Audrey Hepburn Story

Teen hearthrob Jennifer Love Hewitt stars as screen icon Audrey Hepburn. Hepburn was one of the most loved stars of her time, but behind the stardom and fame she suffered private heartbreak, retained bitter memories of the second World War, and spent a lifetime looking for her absent father.
Jennifer Love Hewitt is a beautiful and talented actress with style and charm. She is not, however, Audrey Hepburn, and try as she might, she is unable to embody the gamine actress in the made-for-television biopic The Audrey Hepburn Story.
Making the Hepburn bio was a gutsy move for Hewitt, and one has to admire her chutzpah. But the role, if it was to be dared, would have been better off in the hands of an unknown. As it is, it’s difficult to shake the image of Hewitt in her television and teen roles, and while she mastered the wide-eyed look, her eyes are not doe-like enough and her accent borders on ludicrous. If you can move past this, though, the story of Hepburn’s life–even given her do-gooder qualities–is interesting fodder for exploration, although at times the script feels as if it’s trying to create tension where there is little. Desertion by her father, a brief stint in the resistance in wartime Netherlands, and affairs with fellow actors create drama, but not enough to enliven the film. Part of the problem is the entire film is told from flashback from the set of Breakfast at Tiffany’s, so much of Hepburn’s great work is left untouched.
Yet, despite the flaws, fans will appreciate the paean to Hepburn, as we glimpse into the difficulties of her early career and her budding stardom. The two girls who play the childhood Hepburn excel in their roles, and the strong supporting cast–including Frances Fisher as her mother and Eric McCormack as Mel Ferrer–brighten the film, which ultimately brings a touch of Hepburn’s elegance to our own humdrum lives