Biopics are nothing new; they’re a staple of the cinematic ecosystem. But it’s a rare thing when a biography of a famous person, in this case Steven Spielberg, is created by the subject himself; this might be considered closer to an autobiography in that Spielberg himself is very much the author, recounting tales from his own formative years in a fictional guise. The result, unsurprisingly, is a generally warm and fuzzy account of a Californian childhood and teen years, with the protagonist pretty much hopelessly in thrall to the movies from square one.
Sam Fabelman (Gabriel LaBelle) takes a stern lecture from his mom and dad Mitzi and Burt (Michelle Williams and Paul Dano) before his first trip to the flicks; The Greatest Show on Earth is the film they see, complete with a spectacular train crash that young Sam wants to emulate with his train set. Rather than see his toy tarnished, his parents buy him a film camera to capture the action for posterity, setting young Sam in a journey from Bolex to Arriflex and beyond, mounting larger and more elaborate productions at a prodigious age. But not all is well with his mother, and Sam finds disturbing evidence in his own footage that Mitzi’s relationship with family friend Bennie (Seth Rogen) might just ruin their family unity…
The Fabelmans starts slow; Sam’s development is carefully charted, but conflict is largely absent. Sam’s desire to film on the weekend of his grandmother’s death is as close to catharsis as we get. Things liven up through when we get to high school, where Sam suffers bullying for his Jewish background, and gets some worthy advice in an extended Judd Hirsch cameo as lion tamer Uncle Boris. Sam gets chewed up and used up by his first romantic relationship, where he’s essentially engaged to deliver a professional Beach Blanket documentary and then gets swiftly dumped before the film reaches a euphoric audience. And there’s a tonne of easter eggs that allow us to see where Sam Fabelman is going; there’s references to Spielberg productions that keep it fresh in our minds that Sam is a prodigal son, even if his family keep getting in the way of his potential success.
The Fabelmans will be of interest to Spielberg’s fans, of which there are many, but it doesn’t speak to much else other than nostalgia; the past is revealed as complicated and bitter-sweet, but there’s little insight into how and where the young film-maker gained his prowess other than hard work. The technique, by which old 8mm footage efforts are reworked with today’s technology, is fascinating, but the emotional impact is distant; a final, crowd-pleasing ending wheels in David Lynch as John Ford, but this wow cameo merely reminds us that Spielberg must have other, less personally conflicted stories to tell. It’s odd that the film that The Fabelmans most closely thematically resembles is one that Spielberg produced rather than directed; Back to the Future. From the son horrified by maternal infidelity at his father’s expense to the high-school prom setting, there’s multiple parallels, even down to the white-haired wizard with the dog in a sports car complete with a lightning hook that the young Sam plays with. In the final analysis, The Fabelmans feels like an intensely personal work for a beloved director that’s less likely to generate quite the same intensity from escapism-starved audiences.
Why does “David Lynch as John Ford” sound like it deserves to be its own movie?
I want to see that movie. It’s a great scene with a terrific punchline. Spielberg must have great anecdotes, but we get only one.
I’ve skipped the review but glancing at the comments supports my suspicion that this, however well-made, is too much of an ego trip. My guess is that holding the rights to Indiana Jones gives him a good bit more sway in Hollywood than you might expect after the disastrous flop of West Side Story. I was going to say I’ll see this on my Monday cinema outing but already I was veering more towards Plane and Unwelcome.
David Lynch as John Ford? No, you need to get this one on your schedule…while I have clear misgivings about this film right now, it’s certainly one for cineastes…
I’ll certainly get round to it, but Gerard Butler? Who can ignore him?
Ignore Gerry at your peril.
He’ll be stomping the streets of Paisley.
Spielberg is one of my favorite directors, but I’m not interested in this in the least. When I heard it was in the works, I just wrote it off as being an egotistical, wish-fulfillment project. I totally agree the timing couldn’t be worse. We need another solid Spielberg film, not a film about Spielberg.
He’s one of the great cinematic talents of all time, and we need him to make commercial films right now. This film has been mooted for decades, yet feels way out of step with what we need right now. Cinema can change the world, but for some reason, our major talents seem shy of saying anything about how we live now.
Recently in other film biopics, you’ve ripped into them for choosing to be all about movies and themselves instead of telling a story that audiences wanted to watch. What is different about this one that it didn’t get the same treatment? Because this seems to hit all the checkmarks…
Alex is correctly saying that my review reads as a three, and I guess that’s to do with the public being disconnected with film-makers right now. It’s a good film but this is not the right time for such navel gazing…
In all seriousness, is there ever a time that such navel gazing IS ok?
I think you are right about the lack of relevance to our values being an ongoing problem. People want escapism and film-makers seem obsessed by themselves.
I think this explanation hits the nail on the head for my own feelings about the film — it seems like it would be in my wheelhouse but somehow the idea leaves me cold. More Top Gun please!
Spielberg’s reputation is probably enhanced by making something so heartfelt and personal, but he’s somehow out of step with me in that, right now, the kind of escapist fare that made us reputation is hard to find. Score, performances, all good here, but we don’t need a victory roll right now. Unless Glenn Powell is flying…
I don’t think I would care so much (ie, at all) if movies were totally privately funded. But they are using my money and that sticks in my craw…
In the Uk, that is very much true, but I thought most US movies were privately funded?
The military pays money. I have no idea of the details, but even one penny is too much…
It’s a valid point. Tax breaks are used to bring productions to different states in the US, so yes, you are paying something towards these films. Why don’t you send me all your cash in a bucket and I’ll spend it more carefully?
I looked into that.
Apparently it costs more to ship all those pennies than they are actually worth.
I am open to being subsidized though by all the rich and generous folk of wee bonnie Scotland…
We have all clubbed together to raise funds for The Bookstodges. A movie about you! Send me your bank details so I can deposit the cash in your account!
Pix or I don’t believe it…
Sigh. I’ll just keep the t testing in my account until you are ready…
Probably should rename the movie to The Doubting Bookstodges…
Look, there must be some easy way for you to give me all your money immediately. Let’s think fast!
I’m trying! It’s just simple like it used to be.
Back when all you had to do was yell “stickem up” n you were golden.
Now? The bureaucrats want a list 3 weeks in advance, in triplicate, and so help you if you put the wrong date…
Errrr, not simple…
Typo noted
Just sent me pics of your credit card front and back…
Credit card, schmedit card. Ain’t nobody got time fo dat…
https://youtu.be/waEC-8GFTP4
Hm. Four stars but I get the feeling you didn’t like it much. Sounds like it’s a bunch of self-indulgent mush, which is fine since I had no intention of seeing it anyway.
one that Spielberg produced
It’s hard to knock in a sense, because it’s a thoughtful, honest and personal film. But it’s short on salacious gossip and long on angst. A hard sell.
What is a lightning hook?
You know, Doc attached one to his Delorean and it sticks out the back to connect the lightning from the church tower.
Ah right, of course. Long time since I saw Back to the future. Also don’t know why I didn’t know that was a Spielberg movie. Anyways, this is a probably nope for me.
I’ll let him know.
He won’t mind.
He’s got other people looking at it too, so hopefully he’ll not get a Nope from them too.
I’m sure he’ll do well with itt, he has a lot of fans. Isn’t it mentioned in the OScars line up somewhere? Which reminds me, are you boycotting the Academy Awards this year?
No, just been too busy to write them up as yet. But will present my findings in the usual methodical and organised way…