Tom Sturridge in a lovely performance as Roger, Julia's son, puts it beautifully in a soft confrontation with his mother. "You're playing, mother, or playing wife..." Yes, acting as a way of life as a way of being. Tricky. Ronald Harwood can write the ins and outs of theatrical life better than any living soul - remember "The Dresser? - This is not any way near as good or as insightful but is charming and fun. Lilli Palmer played the part back in the 60's in "Adorable Julia" and she was adorable indeed as is Annette Bening in a tour de force performance with regular interruptions to give plenty of space to the trade mark Bening giggle. Shaun Evans plays the young man, the object of Julia's desire, her frustrating emotional holiday and I must admit, that's the one element that should have sizzle instead of fizzle. Shaun Evans is a good actor but it doesn't have anything that would make us understand the folly attraction that awakes in Julia. He plays an American but appears bland, as bland as a British actor can be when he's bland. I longed for a Billy Crudup or someone younger, a Brad Renfro. Can you imagine what the movie would have been like with a Heath Ledger in that part? Unless, of course, the whole thing was intentional to underline Julia's absurdity. An actress on the verge of a nervous break down. Comparasions with "All About Eve" are ridiculous. That would be like comparing "One Flew Over The Cookoo's Nest" with "The Couch Trip"
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terrygiu200020 June 2005
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mooseman0126 December 2004I approached this film strictly by way of word of mouth. Reviews and blurbs went over my head. I haven't read Maughm (sp?) in years and forgot what I may have read. I went into the theater with a clean slate. Ms.Benning displays an awesome range of technique, but that doesn't describe her or the film. She was able to draw me within her to sense her triumphs and doubts, and challenges, all of which appeared and felt quite real to me.
In the hands of others this picture might easily have fallen into soap, surely with its "come-upance" finale, all quite expected and predictable, I thought. Still, having said that I was totally absorbed by Ms Benning and her surrounding players all of whom added to the vitality of her performance without negating or diluting their own. I am not an actor yet I felt I understood the lessons she was displaying and the courage to so open herself in such a revealing way.
She is the film, with respect to the director and writer, and the film is her, not a great film, but one worth while seeing on its own, but more so for the opportunity of truly witnessing great craft and talent. -
Rogue-3218 October 2004You don't have to be a fan of Annette Bening (or Jeremy Irons) to enjoy this high-spirited tale of theatrical life - or rather, Julia Lambert's life, to be specific.
Based on a novella by my one of my all-time favorite authors, W. Somerset Maugham, Being Julia is sort of like All About Eve, except not as stage-y. It's a period piece, taking place in England in the '30s, where burnt-out Diva Extraordinaire Julia Lambert is moaning and groaning about her tedious, boring life to anyone who will listen, including her weathered and weary husband (Irons, drolly pipe-puffing his way through the film as only he could). She meets a young, handsome, American fan/opportunist (Shaun Evans, highly effective) and together they rekindle Julia's lust for life.
This is just the first half hour - it gets better and more and more outrageous (and of course more FUN) as it goes on. Needless to say, you won't be bored; in fact, you might very well leave the theater smiling and shaking your head, as I did. -
livewire-631 October 2004I am not a fan of Annette Benning by any stretch of the imagination. I thought she was far too old to play the schoolgirlish ingenue in "An American President", and found her lacking in warmth and charisma as the love interest in "Open Range". I thought she was okay for what she had to do in "Dick Tracy", and honestly can't remember her performance in "American Beauty".
In "Being Julia", however, Benning's performance thoroughly does justice to her larger-than-life character. Benning plays 1930s stage actress Julia Lambert. Julia is by turns melodramatic, egocentric, overbearing and overwrought. She roars into our consciousness from her first scene to her final curtain.
Benning is surrounded by a fine cast of actors and actresses who act as perfect foils for her. Jeremy Irons, especially, is subtle and subdued as her manager husband, Michael Gosselyn. Juliet Stevenson is a sly confederate as Julia's dresser Evie. Miriam Margolyes is a hoot as theatre owner Dolly. Shaun Evans is a feast for the eyes as Tom Fennell, the young cad who breaks Julia's heart. Michael Gambon rounds out the cast as Jimmy Langton, a ghostly mentor to the very much alive and lively Julia.
Julia is not exactly what you would call an admirable human being. She is self-centered, bitchy, catty and vengeful. But, as the Italians say, "revenge is a dish best eaten cold". The film keeps us in suspense as we nervously wait for the other shoe to drop, for Julia to execute her carefully plotted revenge. When she springs her trap, we may shake our heads disapprovingly, but we cannot suppress a hearty laugh.
By its very nature, "Being Julia" is a film that will not appeal to a young demographic. You have to be a certain age to appreciate Julia's predicament of growing old and feeling that life and love have passed her by. Benning bravely allows director Istvan Szabo to film her in merciless and unforgiving closeup, to capture the lines etched in her brow, around her mouth and at her neckline. But the film leaves us with a sense of hope that, like Julia, we may all age like fine wine -- or like the beer whose creamy foam Julia relishes like her life itself: without the slightest trace of sadness or regret. -
SnoopyStyle28 December 2015It's London 1938. Julia Lambert (Annette Bening) is a successful stage actress but she wants a break. Tom Fennel is a young American fan. His devotion turns the diva onto a gitty affair. Soon, he's flirting with younger actress Avice Crichton (Lucy Punch).
This is all about Bening. It's her show. Tom Sturridge doesn't exactly shine. The movie needs him to be a big star actor but he's much too bland. He's a real dud. On the other hand, Lucy Punch is fun and a funny foil. It does seem that this wouldn't be anything without Bening. She almost wills this into something good from lesser material. There are plenty of great actors around but it's Bening's movie from start to finish. -
sol-26 June 2016Concerned that her career may be on the decline, a middle aged theatre actress initiates an affair with a much young admirer who may just be using her in this jovial blend of comedy and drama based on a Somerset Maugham novel. Best known for Annette Bening's Oscar nominated performance, Bening is expectedly solid as the Margot Channing-like title character, though Jeremy Irons holds his own quite well as her aloof husband, spurting droll witticisms, and Michael Gambon is also superb as her deceased mentor who now coaches her every so often in spirit. Gambon's role is quite interesting as he represents a constant audience that Bening seems to imagine herself having (commenting on how well she is steering conversations) but the film may have benefited from using him more consistently throughout since he occasionally feels like a plot device. The film also culminates in an on-stage revenge pay-off that never quite seems as funny as it could have been (think 'Noises Off...'), however, generating laughs is not all that screenwriter Ronald Harwood and 'Mephisto' director István Szabó have in mind. The film is very much about the mindset of a famous actress who is accustomed to enjoying a certain amount of attention and who is cunning enough to get what she ultimately wants; by the end of the film, the question of who has really used who lingers. Miriam Margolyes also has an interesting role along these lines as Bening's lesbian financial backer who Bening manipulates with promises of swimming nude and meetings during massage sessions.
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nycritic23 January 2006Older women can create complex dramas, but this is not the case here. Even when BEING JULIA tackles issues such as a woman, an actress, who is playing roles meant for younger actresses, who is having "marital issues" and is embarking in an affair with a younger man, it seems as dated as the time it was written in. The 1930s were rife with dramas unfolding in a theatre setting, and this one is no exception.
It's not a bad film. But it's not a memorable film, and where Annette Bening throws herself into the role, the film in itself seems like it belongs somewhere else: plus, it just seems like it's playing it safe most of the time. It's not saying anything special. Plus, it owes a little more than not to ALL ABOUT EVE when it introduces an Eve Harrington-like character played by Lucy Punch, and even then, all it is, is a colorless role that can't even compare to the restrained evilness Anne Baxter gave hers.
Istvan Szabo has done better films based in or around a theatre. His most recent venture was the luminous 1991 film MEETING VENUS in which a director, purportedly based on Szabo himself, falls for opera diva Karin Andersson (played by Glenn Close) while on rehearsals for Tannhauser, and their affair which nearly ruined the production. In that film, there was a raw emotional drama that also involved a much larger cast and almost seemed Altman-esquire. Here, the stage seems... well... stagey, stilted, mannered, by-the-numbers. When the two actresses face off, it seems like it's been done before even if it does work -- to a degree. And this is how I feel about the movie in general: I liked it, to a degree. Good but not memorable. They've all (Bening, Gambon, Irons, Margolyes) done better. -
brenttraft8 November 2004Being Julia is a very entertaining picture aimed at the over 40 demographics, which is nice for a change since most of the films these days are aimed at the 25 and younger crowd. The story is great. I haven't read the book, so I don't know if the credit goes to the screenwriter or the author. Annette Bening's performance carries the film.
The bad news is, it could have been better. My first complaint is the photography has a yellow/green cast to it, which makes the film visually dull. This is a shame since Annette Bening is so radiant. My second complaint is the directing is competent but not much more. It's pretty much what you would expect from a made for TV film but not an art house film. A visionary director could have made this film great rather than merely good. My third complaint is that it is similar to All About Eve, Sunset Boulevard, and 20th Century; but it is not at the same level of those classics, due to the reasons given above.
This is a film about the theater and in my favorite scene her son tells her that she is always acting. Some people might be turned off by the style of the dialog, but it fits the context of the film. One of the devices of the film is that the ghost of her acting mentor is always watching over her like a guardian angel. The ending of the film couldn't have been better, but I don't want to spoil it for anyone.
Overall, this is currently one of the top 3 films in the theater and if you are lucky enough to have it playing in your area, you should see it. 8/10 -
julian_richard200313 May 2019Excellent. Annette Bening was brilliant. You really feel her pain and desperation, in the first part of the movie, but you just love the way she gets her vengeance. Its the kind of movie where in the back of your head you're like 'go get em Julia'. And considering the situation of the main character, the movie never takes it self too seriously. Swift, easy watching, touching, funny intuitive and clever.
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Red7Eric18 December 2004Anyone who enjoys the catty, female-driven movies of old (All About Eve, The Women, et. al.) and bemoans the idea that they don't make 'em like they used to should see "Being Julia." Annette Bening is at her best when she's *not* playing saints, and while Julia isn't nearly as awful as the roles she played in "The Grifters" or "American Beauty," she's wicked enough to delight throughout (and vulnerable enough to garner sympathy).
Most of the reviews and award nominations associated with this film will likely heap loads of praise on Annette Bening and little else. She is in nearly every scene, so it's hard to separate her performance from anything else -- and while she is brilliant; the story, direction, costumes, cinematography, art direction, and supporting performances are equally worthy of praise.
Every once in a while, they make one like they used to. -
milagro197518 January 2012Good news first. Annette Benning is good here, as well as Irons and the actor playing Roger. Bad news: they didn't have much to play actually as the script had butchered the story and the characters. All the irony, sardonic narratives, Julia's inward comments were left out along with a great deal of the story and some terrific scenes. For instance, hilarious seduction episode between Julia and Charles from the book - why substitute it with that pale explanation? and just for the record, Charles wasn't gay, he was apparently impotent. Well, the script made him impotent as a character since one can hardly recollect his part and what he's for there anyway. Same goes for Evie and Dolly, they just don't mean anything. There's not much of Michael, too, obviously because they left out the complete "before" section of the book. And it mattered. Tom is OK though slightly inconsistent. We don't see his development from an obscure admirer to corrupted social climber. Neither the development of Julia's feelings for him (apart from her constant giggling). All in all, better get yourself the book.
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TheLittleSongbird10 October 2019The cast were the biggest draw into seeing 'Being Julia', hard to resist such great talent like Annette Bening, Jeremy Irons, Michael Gambon and Juliet Stevenson. W. Somerset Maugham was an interesting writer, some say that he is old-fashioned and his work hasn't aged well but to me he deserves being celebrated and love his insight, wit, sharp prose and charm, which deserves to be adapted more on film and the general solid standard of the adaptations seen of his proves this.
'Being Julia' does nothing to waste its talent and is well worth seeing, deserving of its generally favourable reviews here. As an adaptation of the book, it leaves a lot to be desired with much cut out and too many of the characters are underwritten due to their roles being reduced. On its own, as a standalone which has always been a fairer way to judge to me, 'Being Julia' is very good. It may not work for some viewers, some may find it over-the-top and affected while many others will find it entertaining and well made and played, count me in in the latter category.
Absolutely agree with all that Annette Bening is the reason to see 'Being Julia'. She is nothing short of amazing and is the absolute embodiment of Julia. One mustn't overlook the rest of the cast, Michael Gambon is splendid and a clear standout. Jeremy Irons does a great and beautifully restrained job as the rather underwritten character of Michael, while Lucy Punch is radiant and Juliet Stevenson enjoys herself thoroughly. Likewise with Miriam Margoyles. Istvan Szabo gets a lot out of the cast and the chemistry throughout is natural, also balancing the material without being overly-theatrical or too stagy.
It is a good looking film, those costumes of Julia's are to die for in particular. The music captures the period with great affection and fits without being obtrusive or being over-obvious, very beautiful and infectious. The script is sharp, amusing and thoughtful, like Maugham's writing, love the witticisms. The story entertains and moves, with a twist that leaves one floored and while the ending is over the top it does stay with one forever. Anybody wanting a likeable or rootable protagonist will be disappointed, but she isn't meant to be.
Did think that two performances didn't work. Shaun Evans has improved significantly over-time, absolutely love him in 'Endeavour', but he is rather colourless in 'Being Julia' and it is not helped by Tom being very underdeveloped and cliffs-notes like. More problematic is Bruce Greenwood, of all my recently seen film viewings Greenwood is among the biggest miscasts and comes over as out-of-place (and it is not just that he is completely unconvincing as a Brit, everything about him was wrong).
Some of the pace could have been tighter at times, towards the end it drags a bit.
Overall though, found myself liking it very much. 8/10 -
SPOILERS:
I'd wanted to see this for some time and I'm glad I finally did. It was kind of an enchanting little film, witty and fun and kind of an homage to the theater in general.
The two things that really stand out are, number one, the glamor of the film. Of coarse, period films, if their done well, really envelop one in the time period the movie is taking place in. In Being Julia, the film is not just an homage to the stage, it also kind of celebrates the films of yesterday, that one really doesn't see these days. The music was absolutely perfect as well. I can say that I, more often then not, see very modern films however this movie made me kind of reminiscent to see older films even though I generally don't see a lot of them anyway. But that is one of the movie's strengths. It's nice to see a period film that sets the atmosphere so well.
The second thing that stands out is the performance of Annette Benning as the sassy Julia. I must say Annette Benning is, in my opinion, one of the best actresses working today and with every film I see her in, even if I don't love the movie, she bowls me over with her performance. Here is no different. I really want to see an Oscar for Ms. Benning soon.
And of coarse Julia is such a fun character to watch! I just saw "The Devil Wears Prada" last week and I think Steep and Benning share some similarities. Like Streep, with Benning, it's not just the words but the facial expressions, the brief glances and such! I really doubt I'd have liked this movie as much without Benning in the lead role.
The rest of the cast is good too but Benning steals the show and the movie's humor is biting but in a fun way. I would not say this was a movie I loved, for me it was more on the like a lot side but it's very definitely worth seeing.
If there was anything I didn't like it's just that the movie moves slowly and though you get where it's going, it takes awhile to get there. Being Julia wasn't a movie I liked all that much right away, it sort of grows on you. A bit of patience is needed but it keeps getting better as it goes along and the ending is really fun and worth waiting for. Annette's best scenes are at the end, with the last stage scene being absolutely spectacular. The thing about Being Julia is it never really takes itself so seriously that the witty aspects are lost. It strikes a very good balance between the drama, the wit and the almost campy aspect.
I would definitely recommend this, particularly to Benning fans, or people who love the stage. My vote's a 7.5 out of 10. -
annie88_9918 October 2005"Being Julia," as exploration of an aging actress, is a simplistic story that doesn't quite deliver the goods.
Annette Bening's portrayal of Julia was supposed to be triumphant, but I found her trying. As with many other movies that follow the lives of actors and their highs and lows, I found the characters to be wholly unworthy of my sympathy or attention. Normally I stay away from movies about actors for two reasons: they're self-serving and they typically have the lead acting irrational, over-emoting and behaving unstable. While Bening was not quite as far out in left field as most lead characters in this genre, she demonstrated a fairly wide swing in shallow displays of emotions, and without any real character development, it's impossible for me to feel any compassion for these poor-rich people with rich people's problems.
I watched the clock through the whole movie trying to gauge when the action would finally climax and the end would come. The only reason I kept watching was that I hoped that there would be a turning point when I really applauded our protagonist, but it never came. I found everyone in the story basically got what they deserved--which wasn't much, by the way. So much for the real villain getting his comeuppance - it doesn't happen.
The saving grace in this movie was Jeremy Irons, whom I don't normally care for as an actor. He was smooth and appropriate in his role, unsettled by his wacky wife but still holding his course--it's all for the money, honey.
Not worth the rental price of the DVD. -
raphaelite218 October 2004This movie is a great bit of fun: over the top in all the right places, and with many laugh out loud moments. It is bright, emotional, engaging, and witty, just like the title character, acted to perfection by Annette Bening.
It's brilliantly acted from top to bottom, with wonderful performances from even relative newcomers, Lucy Punch and Shaun Evans. I especially loved how the many layers of the original work are brought across: how real can be the fantasy world of theatre, and how fantastic the real world may seem in opposition to it. In theatre, they say timing is everything. That's very true about the bulk of the situations in this movie. I would definitely see this movie again. -
Being Julia, a sparkling but inconsequential bit of piffle, provides an adequate star turn vehicle for the talents of Annette Bening, but do not be surprised if a week or two later the film has completely left your memory. Based on a story by Somerset Maugham and directed by Istvan Szabo, the film centers on 1938 British stage thespian Julia Lambert, an over-the-top personality that simply cannot stop acting even when off-stage. She is currently appearing on the West End in yet another raging success, but wants to exit stage left for some rest. She indulges in an affair with a social-climbing American half her age, which provides her with the fire and zest that she had been lacking and renews her stage career. Naturally the guy cheats on her and conspires to get a part for his latest paramour in Julia's latest stage show. However, instead of getting All About Eve light, we just get a set-up for Julia to humiliate her younger competition on stage and exact revenge on the errant lover.
You have to admire to some extent that Being Julia does not aspire to be anything more than what it is - a slight production providing a vanity role for Bening to hopefully (unsuccessfully as it turned out) snag an Oscar. If the film had been produced in the 1930s, Norma Shearer would play the part. If it was produced in the 1970s, it would have been Maggie Smith. Unfortunately, Julia can be exhausting since she rarely seems to ever stop "ACTING" even among her confidantes. The film also makes a mistake in assuming that Julia is particularly sympathetic by virtue of being the focal character. Julia seems to flit from one thing to another with an utter lack of subtlety or introspection. We understand why the constrained Julia would indulge in an affair with a younger man or why said affair would relight her fire both in life and professionally. And while there is some satisfaction in her "revenge" in the final moments, it comes at the sacrifice of her professionalism which was her raison d'etre.
Bening is photographed in the best lighting, essays a competent British accent, and throws herself all in to playing a larger-than-life character, but I grew a bit weary of watching her smile coquettishly or look dewy-eyed, or flap effervescently around the sets. Bening's film output is not all that frequent and wildly uneven in quality, so this conventional wisdom that she is overdue for an Oscar by virtue of merely existing seems a tad contrived. Truthfully, I have a hard time understanding how this role/film was seriously considered a front runner at any point. That said, the supporting cast does what it is supposed to do - gets out of her way while making limited (in some cases no) impression. Jeremy Irons phones in yet another performance as Julia's ineffectual husband. Bruce Greenwood is woefully miscast as a male confidante and Michael Gambon's repeated appearances as the ghost of her acting teacher who won't stop directing her wear thin too quickly. Juliet Stevenson gets a few wry asides as Julia's assistant/dresser, but otherwise is forced to smile dotingly whenever Julia...well, does anything. Miriam Margoyles camps it up nicely as a producer and closet lesbian, who manages to show up whenever Bening is in a state of undress. Lucy Punch is photographed harshly as the younger ingenue, so we know we are not supposed to like her. As the younger lover, Shaun Evans sports one of those American accents that immediately rings phony. He is appealing enough to make you understand Julia's infatuation, but never hateful or interesting enough to make you truly root for her "revenge". Evans is actually seen to much better effect as the lead in the TV show Endeavour, but fans may be swayed by the baring of his well-toned derriere during his romps with Bening.
Truthfully, the film is inoffensive and fairly well put together. Bening works herself hard to provide the effervescence needed, but the end product as a whole is just not that memorable or remarkable. -
bandw2 November 2007This is a story about insiders in a theater in London in 1938. In particular it's about Julia Lambert (Annette Benning) and how she deals with a challenge of being sidelined in her career by middle age. When your livelihood and self identity depend to a great extent on physical appearance aging must be particularly difficult. So, one wonders to what extent Benning, who was in her mid-forties when she filmed this, is playing a part and to what extent she is playing herself. And that is the basic theme of this movie - when can you tell whether Julia is acting or when she is being truthful. Does *she* even know. More generally, we are all actors; in a given day how often do we speak what is really on our minds? How easy is it for us to determine the real thoughts of our friends? This film brings those questions to mind.
With the exception of Shaun Evans, playing an all too innocent, star-struck young American who improbably strikes up an affair with Julia, the actors turn in good performances. Jeremy Irons, who plays Julia's husband, is atypically without his usual existential angst. I particularly liked Juliet Stevenson who plays Julia's knowing dresser with great believability. I suppose, given the story line, this is an actor's movie and certainly without the fine cast there would not be much to recommend this slight story.
The period setting is nicely done with the old cars, hair styles, clothes, and so on. There are some scenes, like a large dance, that can excite the imagination. I would have thought that by 1938 the rise of Nazi Germany would have been mentioned more than once, and even that mention being rather naive (or was that meant to be ironic?) -
dinky-413 November 2004The usually reliable Ronald Harwood has somewhat bungled his adaptation of W. Somerset Maugham's minor but pleasant 1937 novel, "Theatre," and director Istvan Szabo never finds the tone or rhythm to smooth over the script's miscalculations. The result is one of those Sunday-matinée movies which may please those who assume that period costumes, a proper cast, and Cole Porter on the soundtrack provide a guarantee of cinematic "quality."
There's not much point in turning Jimmie Langton (played by Michael Gambon) into a ghostly presence who appears at intervals to offer bromides about acting to Julia, and there's no need to change Tom from a Brit to a Yank. (Perhaps someone thought this might increase the movie's appeal to American audiences.) And why change Maugham's title to something so bland and unimaginative? These are minor quibbles, however, compared to the sin of transforming Julia Lambert from a great actress to a fluttery "ham" who camps it up on the stage as if performing in a rowdy music hall. (Her buffoonish upstaging of her young rival in the final reel is downright embarrassing.) If Julia is the best actress of her generation, one shudders to think of the competition!
On the other hand, critics have been needlessly unkind to Shaun Evans. (The N.Y. Times, for example, said that he had the sexual magnetism of a "boiled potato.") Maugham says of Tom: "He was not particularly good-looking, but he had a frank, open face and his shyness was attractive." Evans more or less fits this description but whereas in the novel he grows from awkwardness to presumption, here -- perhaps because he's a Yank -- he's cheeky from the very start which makes him a less interesting character.
Bruce Greenwood is miscast as Lord Charles, (too young, too American), and while Juliet Stevenson doesn't seem quite right as Evie, she still manages to dominate virtually all her scenes with Julia. As for Evans, one can see why Julia is drawn to his eager youthfulness, and he looks good enough with his clothes off -- a state which occurs with such suspicious regularity that one suspects he auditioned for this part in a shower-room -- to prove, no matter what the Times says, that he does indeed possess a cuddly, nonthreatening sexuality.
Rosemary Harris and Rita Tushingham, however, are wasted in a throwaway scene.
As for those who speak of Annette Bening's performance as Oscar-worthy, they should see Esther Gorintin in "Since Otar Left ... " -
theowinthrop25 January 2009It is 1938 and the clouds are building up across the channel from Germany and Czechoslavakia. But we are aware of this, and yet are not concentrating on it. For Somerset Maugham is concentrating on his favorite world - where he made his first real mark. In his day Maugham was probably one of the top three or four British dramatists (with Shaw, Coward, and Pinero) on the West End. Today everyone who thinks of Maugham the dramatist does not think of "The Circle", or other plays of his, but of "Rain" (i.e. "Sadie Thompson"). But "Rain" the play was based on his short story not on any play he wrote. So what is recalled as "his" most famous play was rally not "his".
But his short stories and novels remain powerful fodder for movies to this day, if his plays seem to be a trifle too elegant for modern tastes. I did see "The Circle" in 1990 on Broadway and it was entertaining, but I thought it required an audience willing to give it some slack considering the dialog (it seemed at time too talky). Still if we think Maugham dated, just recall three years ago they did a second movie of "The Painted Veil".
"Being Julia" is based on a short novel he wrote about one of the great ladies of the West End: another Mrs. Patrick Campbell or Gladys Cooper. Julia (Annette Benning) has had years of success and glamor, and she even has had a son by her producer/director husband Michael (Jeremy Irons). But she is bored, and has reached that middle aged crisis point. Her friends rally to keep up her spirits, such as the theater owner (Miriam Margulies), her son Rupert (Michael Culkin), her assistant Evie (Juliet Stephenson), and her close friend and fellow actor Archie Stephenson (Leigh Lawson). She is also getting splendid advice from the dead - her mentor and the man who discovered her Jimmie Langton (Michael Gambon), whose ghost constantly reminds her of what she has to concentrate on to retain her star status.
Rupert, when he is visiting, happens to bring a young American named Tom Fennell (Shaun Evan). Julia has a loosely arranged marriage with her husband, so he does not bat an eyelash as Julia and the young man (old enough to be her son) spend all their time together. The payoff comes when Tom takes Julia to see an "experimental" play that has a friend of his in it. The friend Avrich (Lucy Punch) is a young blond woman, and Julia sees that the young woman has talent. So she (with all the best intentions) tells the young woman she can get her a special try-out with her husband at the theater. The young woman is really excited at this good news.
But shortly afterward, Julia discovers that Tom is not really interested in her as much as in Avrich. Julia pulls herself together to break her affair, and does not go back on her promise. She begins to overact (Michael notices her overwrought recitation of lines in the play she is in). She is ordered to return home for a vacation. In the meantime Michael meets Avrich at the try-out, and sees she can act, so he hires her for the next play.
Julia is slowly aware that her friends are not really happy about what happened to her regarding Tom and Avrich. She seems to have been used here. She gets her final slap from Rupert, who confides in her that he never liked Tom (Julia thought they were chums).
She is a trooper, and she joins the cast for the new play that is going into rehearsals. Avrich is there and they are to share a scene for ten minutes, dominated by the young lady. Julia goes along with this, and slowly builds up the situation making additions and suggestions that will enhance the younger actress's performance. This surprises everyone, but since she is willing to do it they go along with it. But what is she really up to?
With Somerset Maughamm you can just imagine - his characters do not fade or go gently into that good night. Let us just say it turns out to be brilliant theater.
Benning has probably never given a more elegant and wonderful performance - far from her Presidential girlfriend in "The American President" who is briefly a doormat for policy. For all her glamor she enjoys a glass of beer with her dinner - a nice touch that. Irons is fine - his role in support this time, though he does bring authority to his directing scenes. Lawson gives all his support to Julia, only to find she is unaware of his own desires, and the scene of this mutual discovery is actually somewhat sweet. Gambon appears every so often, shaking his head regarding he temporary lack of commitment to drama. His gray bald pate and his opera cape make him look wiser still. Michael Culkin shows he is growing up in his lunch scene with his mother, wherein he shows he is wiser than his years.
Although there is a similarity to "All About Eve" (that has been referred to by several people on this board) that film created a total schemer in Eve Harrington. Julia, unlike Margo Channing, is generous to a fault regarding offering help to her young rival (at the point it is offered she has seen the young rival acting, and realizes she is good - she also thinks of her as a protégé). It is only later that she thinks she was set up by Tom and the girl, and that is what hurts. And that is what she settles so effectively in the end. -
Celebrated stage actress in 1930s West End London (British by way of Jersey) is tired of giving a nightly tour-de-force at her own theater and longs for something more; she becomes involved with a young American gigolo, is counseled by the ghost of her dramatic tutor, and trades bits of business with her husband, who has become a partner in her career but not in her bed. Annette Bening does some savvy, colorful acting here, but the material is broadly-drawn, unsubtle and a bit distracting (the viewer is seldom sure how to take the characters, especially at crucial points in the beginning, and since Julia is such a drama queen anyway, it's unclear how we're supposed to feel about her when she's hurting). The direction is so blandly smooth it makes an uncomfortable partner with the script, which doesn't quite give us the heady glimpse beyond the footlights that "All About Eve" did, although that is clearly its intention. Bening ultimately makes up for the shortcomings: she takes a while to find this character, and then has to decide how far to go with her, but her choices are uniformly correct and her close-up at the finale (bemusement mixed with self-satisfaction and matter-of-fact calmness) is a masterful touch. **1/2 from ****
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xavrush8911 December 2004I went to see this because I was glad to see that the daring Annette Bening was finally back on screen as a leading lady, four years after American Beauty. (She really deserves better than supporting Kevin Costner in a western, doesn't she?) I was not expecting to enjoy it as much as I did. It looks like a highbrow piece to start with--and it is--but there are quite a few laugh-out-loud moments and a couple of sexy scenes worth the price of admission alone. The supporting performances by the always-great Juliet Stevenson (Bend it Like Beckham) and Miriam Margolyes (Cold Comfort Farm) are sublime. Their very presence tipped me off that this would be a winner.
Don't over-analyze this film, just enjoy it. We need more comedies like this and less of the slapstick and/or gross-out variety. Oh, and I almost forgot the best part about this film: It is gloriously schmaltz-free! -
August199126 October 2004I just saw this film in the cinema and it succeeds on several levels, primarily because of Annette Bening. She was nominated for Best Actress before for 'The Grifters' and 'American Beauty' and her performance here, in my view, is as good or better. In fact, it reminds me of her performance in 'Valmont'. It is a delight to follow the plot by reading her face. And if Bening has any vanity, it applies to her craft not her face. The light shows or hides every wrinkle as required.
This film turns out to be a modern equivalent of 'Sunset Boulevard' and 'All About Eve' set in the 1930s. While based on Somerset Maugham's novella 'Theatre', Ronald Harwood has created a screenplay somehow beyond the strict confines of Maugham.
The success goes beyond an intelligent, laugh-out-loud script. Jeremy Irons, Juliet Stevenson (Emma), Michael Gambon (Singing Detective), Bruce Greenwood (Thirteen Days), Maury Chaykin (Dances With Wolves) and relative newcomers, Lucy Punch and Shaun Evans all get it right. I gather a theatre in Budapest gave the actors real material to work with, not blue screen CGI. I can't honestly recommend the director's previous effort 'Mephisto' unless you have patience. In this effort, his intelligence was used to entertain intelligently. If theatre intrigues you, you'll love this movie. -
gelman@attglobal.net12 December 2004Annette Bening does her best work ever in this film set in the 1930's about the life of an English stage actress. Her performance is over-the-top when it needs to be and, at the same time, evinces a trembling vulnerability as in scenes where she begs her young lover to remain with her. Bening's acting will certainly win her an Oscar nomination and should win her the award. It's far and away the best acting -- male or female -- that I've seen this year. (Admittedly, there are many critically praised performances that I haven't seen.) The versatile Michael Gambon will probably not be nominated for his wonderful turn as Bening's acting teacher but he is another of the marvelous things about this film. Jeremy Irons is also very good as the stage/manager-husband as is Juliet Stevenson as the star's personal assistant and dresser. Istvan Szabo, the director, and Ronald Harwood, who adapted the Somerset Maugham story, also deserve mention. Go see it.
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Chris_Docker20 November 2004Lyrical adaptation of a Somerset Maugham novella set in London's swinging '30s. We watch Annette Bening as a famous stage actress, her loves, her life, and finding her identity. If all the world is a stage, what does that make the stage? Bringing the emotions from off-stage drama into the play sometimes works and sometimes doesn't and if we learn the perfect responses to every situation then how much is left of the real person? The film is far from perfect but it has a certain integrity to it. Bening's performance is a little patchy, but the highs and lows of her acting and 'acting the actress' serve ultimately to underline the themes of the story and its stunning ending. Intellectually stimulating without being too demanding, with wonderful music and costumes.
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I found this movie to be boring, uninspired. Yes, Annette Bening is good, but her performance deserved a nomination, nothing more. She has a great laugh, is still beautiful, and is truly a terrific actress. But the movie can't keep up with her.
During the first half, I had to force myself to stay in the Theadora, it was so dull. And the casting of Shaun Evans was a huge mistake. He showed no hint of dashing, dangerous charm we want out of this character, nor did I believe Julia would settle for. A toothy gin goes only so far. He's a Matthew Broderick starter kit without the sense of self-deprecation.
The twist involving him, Julia and the young actress was nice - in fact, when this unfolded the movie finally started being about something other than an unbelievable romance.
SPOILER. We realize Julia's stage accommodations are just working toward her revenge. And that revenge must've looked great on page. No wait, it couldn't have looked any better in the script unless the writer was as drunk as the one in the movie. That revenge simply wasn't justified. So the ingénue wasn't so pure, stealing first Tom then Jeremy Irons (are we tired of him playing every character the same?), but Julia herself began the Thou Shalt Not behavior. Small revenge would be okay, but as the central theme? This just wasn't strong enough to sustain an entire movie.
Don't waste your time.