James L Brooks' latest endeavour, Ella McCay, feels like a relic of a bygone era – a mid-budget adult film that once thrived in the pre-streaming wars. Set in 2008, this comedy-drama tries to recapture the magic of films like Confessions of a Shopaholic, Miss Congeniality, or Little Miss Sunshine, which now find their way straight to streaming platforms.
Brooks' prolific career, which includes iconic sitcoms and classic films like Terms of Endearment, Broadcast News, and As Good As It Gets, has led many to expect something special from Ella McCay. Unfortunately, the movie falls flat, serving as a jarring reminder that even the most seasoned writers can produce a mess.
The film's lead character, Ella (played by Emma Mackey), is meant to be a likable and relatable heroine who overcame her troubled past to become a prominent politician in her home state. However, her character traits – wonkish-ness and reactivity – fail to resonate with the audience, making it difficult to invest in her story.
The supporting cast, including Jamie Lee Curtis, Jack Lowden, and Ayo Edebiri, is woefully underutilized, with their characters feeling like cardboard cutouts rather than fully fleshed-out individuals. The film's narrative is also convoluted, jumping between disconnected plotlines that defy basic storytelling logic.
Brooks' final salvo as a writer/director/producer is a sad mess of a movie that fails to deliver on its promises. With its polished but inauthentic tone and lackluster execution, Ella McCay feels like a relic of a bygone era – an era when adult films were more about lighthearted entertainment than cynical politics. As the film struggles to make sense, it's hard not to feel disappointed that this highly ambitious project has fallen so far short.
The movie is set to release in cinemas on December 12, but given its current state, it's unclear how many viewers will be willing to give it a chance. With its cluttered narrative and one-dimensional characters, Ella McCay feels like a cautionary tale about the risks of creative fatigue – even for someone with James L Brooks' impressive track record.
Brooks' prolific career, which includes iconic sitcoms and classic films like Terms of Endearment, Broadcast News, and As Good As It Gets, has led many to expect something special from Ella McCay. Unfortunately, the movie falls flat, serving as a jarring reminder that even the most seasoned writers can produce a mess.
The film's lead character, Ella (played by Emma Mackey), is meant to be a likable and relatable heroine who overcame her troubled past to become a prominent politician in her home state. However, her character traits – wonkish-ness and reactivity – fail to resonate with the audience, making it difficult to invest in her story.
The supporting cast, including Jamie Lee Curtis, Jack Lowden, and Ayo Edebiri, is woefully underutilized, with their characters feeling like cardboard cutouts rather than fully fleshed-out individuals. The film's narrative is also convoluted, jumping between disconnected plotlines that defy basic storytelling logic.
Brooks' final salvo as a writer/director/producer is a sad mess of a movie that fails to deliver on its promises. With its polished but inauthentic tone and lackluster execution, Ella McCay feels like a relic of a bygone era – an era when adult films were more about lighthearted entertainment than cynical politics. As the film struggles to make sense, it's hard not to feel disappointed that this highly ambitious project has fallen so far short.
The movie is set to release in cinemas on December 12, but given its current state, it's unclear how many viewers will be willing to give it a chance. With its cluttered narrative and one-dimensional characters, Ella McCay feels like a cautionary tale about the risks of creative fatigue – even for someone with James L Brooks' impressive track record.
. The film's trying to recapture that feel-good vibe from back in the day, but it just doesn't hold up today. The lead character's all over the place, and the supporting cast is like they're just going through the motions 
. And don't even get me started on the plot – it's all over the place! I mean, I love James L Brooks' work from back in the day (Terms of Endearment, anyone? 
), but this one feels like a mess.
. It's like they're going for a nostalgic vibe, but it ends up feeling forced and fake. I'm not sure how many people will be willing to shell out cash for this one... unfortunately, I think you're right, it might be a cautionary tale about the risks of creative fatigue 
.
. The lead character is so boring I couldn't care less about her 
. And don't even get me started on the supporting cast – they're just there to fill space, not actually contribute anything meaningful to the story 
.
. And the narrative is a jumbled mess – I was lost from start to finish 
.
. But maybe, just maybe, he needs to take a step back and recharge his creative batteries 
.
. It's definitely not the comedy-drama I was expecting or hoping for 
. I mean, you'd think that someone like James L Brooks would know how to make a good adult comedy-drama by now 
and the supporting cast is wasted on these one-dimensional characters 
. And don't even get me started on the plot - it's like they took every cliché from the last 20 years of movies and mashed them all together 
. Like, Brooks is trying to recapture a bygone era or something, but he just can't seem to get it right 
. The film's tone is all over the place and it feels like they're trying too hard to be lighthearted and funny 
. It's just not working for me.
. Maybe then we'll see a more polished final product 
. Until then, I'll be skipping this one 
.
. The plot jumps all over the place, it's like they couldn't decide what kind of movie they wanted to make 
. This just feels like a letdown. Maybe I'll check it out when it comes out on streaming... but for now, pass 
. its like trying to build a castle out of playing cards - you gotta simplify or risk it all 
. james l brooks has been around for ages and we're expecting too much from him now 
.
.
). But seriously, Ella McCay just feels like a relic from the pre-streaming era – you know, when movies were just straight-up comedies or rom-coms and didn't have to worry about Netflix' algorithm 
. And don't even get me started on the convoluted plot – I mean, who thought it was a good idea to jump around between different storylines like that? 
It's like Brooks took every leftover script from his 80s and mashed them all together into one big mess