FILM REVIEW
ELLA MCCAY
Rated PG-13
115 Minutes
Released December 12th
This is a good old-fashioned story set against the dynamics of politics and of families, two decidedly similar worlds. British/French actress Emma Mackey is genuine as “Ella McCay,” – the similarity in the names purely incidental. Ella is the big sister in an American family whose members endure more than their share of dysfunction and distress. Growing up as the one in the family who must provide steadiness, Ella inherits a sense of responsibility that translates into her being the “big sister” to the people in her state as the aide to the governor, played by Albert Brooks. The story is told in segments in the beginning and jumps around the timeline of events more than I would like.
You may lose your concentration on the narrative a bit. However, the characters are genuine, people you can easily identify with, especially Spike Fearn as Ella’s younger brother, “Casey,” a painfully introverted computer nerd and possibly shady online entrepreneur/ bookmaker. Fearn, along with Ayo Edibri as Casey’s only slightly less introverted girlfriend, “Susan,” jump out of the otherwise predictable story, as does Jamie Lee Curtis repeatedly as Ella’s brilliant, unconventional, outspoken, and opinionated “Aunt Helen.”
Ella’s driver, an understated Kumail Nanjiani, is another voice of reason and clear thinking. There are no car chases, bombs detonating, or martial arts battles. This is a classic feel-good movie with a modern setting. The great composer Hans Zimmer has given the film an environment of emotional depth with his score.
This is the first movie in 13 years to be written and directed by the 88-year-old legendary James L. Brooks. Brooks owns Gracie Films, which produces The Simpsons. He is one of 6 directors who have won Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay Oscars for the same film – Terms of Endearment (1983). Three of his films have been nominated for Best Picture: Terms of Endearment, Broadcast News (1987), and As Good as It Gets (1997).
Emma Mackey is best-known to those who watched Sex Education (2019-2023) on Netflix, a hysterically funny and painfully truthful comedy about a high school student, “Otis,” who sets himself up as the school sex therapist. Mackey starred as “Maeve,” the self-assured, wise-beyond-her-years fellow student who brings “clients” to Otis. She has also appeared in Death on the Nile and Barbie and starred in the movie Emily as “Emily Brontë.” Mackey’s role as the super-responsible Ella McCay is a complete turn from her rebellious Maeve in Sex Education, showing her range. You may be surprised to find that Mackey is not American after seeing her portrayal of Ella McCay. For someone who was born in Le Mans, France, grew up in France, and was educated at the University of Leeds in England, Mackey masters the American mannerisms and dialect of Ella. With a French father and an English mother, Mackey has become a chameleon in switching vernaculars and cultures.
Spike Fearn is a British actor born in Coalville, Leicestershire, who has worked on British TV and appeared in the Amy Winehouse bio Back to Black. His dad is a car mechanic, and his mom is a teacher. I would say he has a solid career ahead of him as an actor. His scenes with Ayo Edebri are some of the most moving in the film. Edibri has become an A-List personality through her work as “Sydney” on The Bear.
Jamie Lee Curtis steals her scenes as Aunt Helen, Ella’s main source of stability. Helen is a powerhouse of individuality and is the only family member who is comfortable in her own skin. She teaches Ella to let loose, mentally and vocally. Albert Brooks is well cast as old-school politician, “Governor Bill.” Brooks, whose dad was a comedian, has been working in television since 1969 and film since 1976. Incidentally, he had worked closely with Rob Reiner and signed a statement with Billy Crystal, Martin Short, Larry David, and other notables on the tragic loss of their friend and colleague.
This story of Ella McCay jumps timelines in the beginning, and the end is a bit overcomplicated, but the premise is solid. The emotional fallout suffered in Ella’s family is truly devastating, and I would like to have seen more emphasis on its effect on personalities and relationships, as well as on Ella’s goals for the common good of children. The filmmakers could not have known how the Reiner tragedy would influence the perception of this movie, especially since Rob and Michelle Reiner were longtime champions of early childhood health, science, and education. Rob was the founder of First 5 California and traveled the state, engaging leaders to support the program.
Kathryn Whitney Boole has spent most of her life in the entertainment industry, which has been the backdrop for remarkable adventures with extraordinary people. She is a Talent Manager with Studio Talent Group in Santa Monica. kboole@gmail.com
