Being Julia Movie Review:


Annette Bening glistens throughout her bubbly performance in the amusing 1930’s theatre comedy Being Julia. Based off of W. Somerset Maugham’s novella, Being Julia is reminiscent of Joseph Mankiewicz’s classic film All About Eve, but is not nearly as potent or spunky.

Set in the 1930’s London, Julia Lambert (Bening) is the most talented and popular stage actress around. In her forties and claiming to be burned out, Julia pleas with her producer husband Michael (Jeremy Irons) to end the run of her current show so that she can rest. However, right when her husband decides to close the production, Julia begins a joyous affair with a twenty-something American named Tom Fennel (Shaun Evans), which gives her a renowned spark. With everyone noticing her new happiness and her attachment to Tom, Michael begins to put together a new theatrical production for her. Tom, on the other hand, enjoys his flings with Julia, but now has his eye on a young and upcoming actress named Avie Crichton (Lucy Punch), who is yearning for a supporting role in Julia’s new play. With all of the uplifting and degrading choices of her affair with the young Tom, Julia has decided with her new play to deliver her most vivid and unforgettable performance to date.

The way that director Istvan Szabo and screenwriter Ronald Harwood (The Pianist) dimly open Being Julia gives off the notion that it is either going to be a bad rendition of Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler or a wanna-be Topsy-Turvy. However, the film is neither, once Szabo gets all of the colorful characters in line, he kicks the film up a notch with cleverness. Even though there are underdeveloped tendencies and an overdunance of some notions, the closing payoff delivered masterfully by Bening is worth the wait. The dialogue for the most part is sharp and efficient, with Julia being the audience’s entire focus. Szabo maintains this film as a period genre, in which some of the character actions are not agreeable, but serve as the majority of the film’s jokes and humor. The production and costume designs are Oscar worthy renditions of the 30’s London theatre scene that significantly contribute to Szabo’s visual environment. The restaurants and dance sequences are also contributing examples. Outside of the vague opening, the repetitive middle ground of the film lacks flair, but hardly distracts the film’s overall outcome and hidden joke.

Bening is terrific and shows off some of her genuine humor as the acting goddess Julia. Though not as brilliant as her mid-life crisis wife in American Beauty, Bening still delivers as this film’s critical backbone. The always reliable Jeremy Irons is sincere, but also funny at times in his supporting role as Julia’s producer husband. Michael Gambon chews the scenery, but is likeable as Julia’s deceased theatre mentor that constantly serves as her acting conscious throughout the film. Bruce Greenwood plays one of Julia’s desirable men as Lord Charles, but can hardly maintain his British accent. Lucy Punch makes good for the not so bright actress Avie, and as Julia’s much younger infidelity Shaun Evans seems lost at times as the reclusive Tom Fennel.

Being Julia has just enough wit to work in its 1930’s setting. Annette Bening is wonderful to watch in an amusing performance as Julia. Even though the film’s pacing is not on par, Being Julia is still an endowing enjoyment.

Bailey Henderson

 

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