MPAA Rating: PG-13/Genre: Coming-Of-Age Drama/Stars: Gabriel LaBelle, Michelle Williams, Paul Dano, Seth Rogen, Judd Hirsch, Julia Butters, Keeley Karsten, Alina Brace, Sophia Kopera, Jeannie Berlin, Robin Bartlett, Sam Rechner, Oakes Fegley, Chloe East, Isabelle Kusman, Chandler Lovelle, Gustavo Escobar, Nicolas Cantu, Cooper Dodson, Gabriel Bateman, Stephen Smith, Lane Factor, James Urbaniak, Alex Quijano, Kalama Epstein, Connor Trinneer, Greg Grunberg, David Lynch, Jan Hoag, Carlos Javier Castillo, Ezra Buzzington, Paul Chepikian, Brinly Marum, Mason Bumba, Larkin Campbell/ Runtime: 151 minutes
I think it is safe to say that if you made a list of film makers who were the best at bringing no more and no less than genuine cinematic magic to the lives of movie goers much like you and me for the length of their careers the name Steven Spielberg would be one that has to be on that list without question. Indeed here is a man who, among other accomplishments, brought dinosaurs back to life in Jurassic Park, made archaeology genuinely cool with Indiana Jones, gave us an alien that wanted nothing more than to eat Reese’s Pieces and go home in E.T., paid the ultimate tribute to the 80s in Ready Player One, pitted man against a terrifying force of nature in Jaws, showcased for us a benevolent first contact with visitors from another planet in Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and gave us THE defining war epic of the past three decades easily in Saving Private Ryan. Oh, and he also made Peter Pan cool again before the video game Kingdom Hearts did with his vastly underrated 1991 slice of cinema Hook (I would be terribly amiss for forgetting that one). Yet for all the magic that this cinematic force of nature has brought to our lives, it is only natural that he would eventually turn to his own life for inspiration. Thankfully, with the release of his latest slice of cinema and film I am reviewing today incidentally in the form of The Fabelmans we can now scratch that off the list and, surprise surprise, it’s just as magnificent as the rest of this icon’s filmography. Indeed there might be a few issues scattered here and there throughout, but the work done on both sides of the camera is nothing short of majestic in every sense of the word. Suffice it to say that The Fabelmans is more than just Spielberg’s most personal film to date. Rather, it is also an incredible and poignant look at how a young boy armed with nothing more than a camera and a love of cinema was able to grow into no more and no less than one of the most iconic directors not only of his generation, but in the history of the medium period.
The plot is as follows: The Fabelmans gets its emotionally charged narrative underway as we see that, in the aftermath of attending a screening of the iconic slice of cinema that is The Greatest Show on Earth from 1952, a young man by the name of Sammy Fabelman finds that he is very much hooked on the art of making films. A fact we soon see for ourselves courtesy of Sammy not only choosing to bring back to life the thrilling train crash in that slice of cinema via a wonderful train set he gets for Hannukah, but also in how he manages to make the transition to cinematic creations that have his younger sisters Reggie, Natalie, and Lisa in starring roles and which cover the range of genres present in movie magic. Yet even though Sammy’s more-artistically rooted mom Mitzi cherishes his talents with open arms, we see that his dad Burt, a skilled individual in the field of computers, merely amicably puts up with them and views them as little more than a hobby that Sammy will eventually grow out of. Suffice it to say that it should come as no surprise to see that as our main character grows up, the debate between art and technology only gets more and more heated especially after his dad gets promoted and is forced to uproot the family to Arizona as a result. Thus, in order to keep some semblance of peace in the family, we see Sammy’s dad ask dear family friend Bennie to join them in Arizona as he makes his way in the world of business. Even with this attempt at an olive branch in play however, it is starting to become obvious that the bond between Sammy’s parents isn’t improving any. Yet we soon see things come to a head when, following his father asking him to put together a movie revolving around a family trip that was undertaken to help his mom who is in mourning over a loved one, Sammy discovers certain details about his mom that not only manage to throw his life for a complete and utter tailspin, but which could also mold this young man in ways that one day may see him potentially becoming one of the finest filmmakers of his generation.
Now I can’t lie to you dear reader: the attempts by a pair of people to valiantly make their marriage last despite the fact that they are, for all intents and purposes, complete opposites to one another as well as how these attempts impact the people in their lives with particular regard to their children is by no means the material that one might see in a Marvel cinematic property (unless of course they make that rumored Peggy and Steve go through marriage counseling show I’ve been hearing about…). Yet even with that mind though, there is no denying that Spielberg does a wonderful job of letting this degrading situation unfurl with a mix of anguishing and tense incredulity through the point of view of our main character. Indeed as the family’s oldest child, Sammy’s comprehension of the “land of adulthood” might be more molded than his siblings, but that doesn’t exactly mean at the same time that he has the maturity to come to grips with that which he comes to learn. Indeed perhaps the key sequence that best showcases this for audiences is where we see Sammy go through footage he shot of a family camping outing. Suffice it to say that, without going into spoilers, his camera manages to see more than he thought that it did and, as a result, not only does this make an impact on Sammy as a person, but it also molds a more intriguing dynamic bond with his chosen artform than he could ever have imagined. Yet, the fact that he would at some time utilize this information to mold the kind of viewing experience he hopes you, the movie goer would have while watching any of the entries in his filmography is not only refreshing for movie lovers, but I also feel that it manages to present the intriguing bond which exists between the movie goer and cinema itself better than any other slice of cinema I have seen in at least the past 10-15 years. Yet even though this heartwarmingly nostalgic vibe of watching something together as a community rather than as individuals may seem like Spielberg is trying to convert audiences to going to theaters again, trust me when I say that he’s not. Instead, I feel that he is simply trying to show the bond between people and what we see on screen is just as crucial as the ones that form between characters as well as for showcasing emotion in a way that is both accessible yet also genuine. Something that I feel Spielberg has managed to showcase that he is quite gifted at delivering better than most film helmers could ever aspire to pull off with as much skill or consistency as he has. Thankfully, we also see that the work done by the rest of the departments behind the camera are able to match Spielberg’s efforts here with skill and heart in equal measure. Indeed, from the genuinely beautiful work done by equally as iconic composer John Williams, cozy and comfortable cinematography that showcases a heartfelt fondness for a time long since come and gone, and a powerfully honest script from both Tony Kusher as well as Spielberg himself, this is one poignant slice of cinema that is wonderfully delicate yet on point in unfurling it’s helmer’s life before our eyes.
More than any of the other elements on display however, I think it can safely be said that it is the truly gifted cast of players in front of the camera that do the most remarkable job in taking us back in time and exploring quite vividly the past of its celebrated helmer. To that end, as the teenage take on main character Sammy, it should be said that Gabriel LaBelle is nothing short of astonishing. To be sure this can be quite the challenge to pull off from an acting perspective in no small part due to the fact that the helmer of this slice of cinema is also the basis for the character that he is portraying here. With that in mind though, LaBelle manages to overcome this potential obstacle and give a performance that manages to not only be one which as a true star-making performance in every sense of the word, but also is able to more than effectively showcase both every phase the young Sammy (Spielberg) goes through as well as all of the crucial points that occurred at that part in his life as well. We also get a truly phenomenal as well as genuinely crushing turn here from Michelle Williams in the role of the family’s matriarch Mitzi who does everything in her power to keep a smile on her face for everyone’s benefit even while under the surface she is embroiled in a conflict with downright terrible depression. Suffice it to say that Williams, as an actress of her caliber is able to pull off with ease, does a truly majestic and brilliant job at making this character that is quite larger than life at points one that is very much low-key and fairly subtle. Meanwhile, we also get a wonderfully low-key performance here from the always terrific Paul Dano who, in the role of Sammy’s more realistic father, pulls off a degree of solemn as well as restrained in a manner that only an actor like Dano could achieve at this level of effectivity. With that in mind however, it should be noted that perhaps the most riveting work on display in this slice of cinema come from a pair of support performances. The first of these is the work done in this by the iconic talent Judd Hirsch in the role of Uncle Boris who helps our main character see that his passion of becoming a filmmaker is one that could definitely happen for him. Indeed, Hirsch may not have the most screentime in the grand scheme of things, but he nevertheless most assuredly serves as a wonderful jolt of lively energy that the midsection of this slice of cinema graciously accepts and allows the impact of to be felt throughout the rest of the narrative. Just as great as Hirsch however is none other than Seth Rogen in the role of close family friend/ surrogate uncle figure Bennie. Indeed, without going into spoilers, I can safely say that this is easily the finest dramatic turn given to us by Rogen to date as not only does it show the different levels that can exist in a person, but it is also a character that we see the main character’s opinion on ebb and flow as the movie goes along. Suffice it to say that is a truly potent performance for Rogen that definitely should see some serious attention and consideration come awards season.
All in all, I think it can be safely said that for close to 5 decades now, the man, the myth, the legend that is Mr. Steven Spielberg is one helmer who has continued to floor an audience by showcasing for movie goers all over the planet not only how powerful cinema can be, but also the magic that is an integral part of the art form in such a way that I cannot think of many other helmers who have done so as well as he has. Indeed, in a career that has and will continue to easily stand the test of time, this man has made the fantastical real, the impossible possible, and for many a movie goer shown us that film truly is a work of art unlike any other. However, even with the more emotional slices of cinema in his incredible filmography, I still have always had a minor quibble. That being that we aren’t really getting a full view of just who the man at the helm truly is. Apparently either enough people had a similar issue or Spielberg has chosen to place a listening device somewhere in my house that can also read my thoughts. I say this because with The Fabelmans we see this bonafide cinematic genius make the choice to, in a mix of emotion, wistfulness, and truthfulness, showcase a new cinematic world for us in the form of his own childhood. A childhood that, much like a lot of people’s, was very much an equal and steady blend of both good and bad, of agony and happiness, and most assuredly of wonder and chaos. Suffice it to say that, much as he managed to pull off with his take on the iconic musical West Side Story from last year, Spielberg is one individual who has managed to show us all that he is without question an genuine movie wizard who can still excite and astonish with all the tricks up his sleeves even after a solid 5+ decades in the business to say nothing of a film helmer who has time and time again changed the cinematic landscape and continues to find new and exciting avenues for it to traverse with each new film that he makes the choice to tackle. Thus, despite all the wonder and awe that this legit icon has provided to movie goers time and time again, it is perhaps fitting that a genuinely heartfelt story about how the magic became such an integral part of this man’s own life would prove to be one of the most iconic entries in a filmography full of them. Suffice it to say that when you also factor in phenomenal work on both sides of the camera, you don’t get just a loving and whimsical look back by one of the best filmmakers of his or any other generation period. Rather, what you are left with is no more and no less than genuine magic period. Make of that dear reader what thou will. On a scale of 1-5 I give The Fabelmans “2022” a solid 4.5 out of 5.
