By Alyson Powers
@M1ssPowers
The Fabelmans is an Oscar contender. Of course, it seems to be a foregone conclusion given the man behind the story, Steven Spielberg, and the abundance of promotional press on media landscapes.
In my limited knowledge and experience watching people grow into their personalities… well they change in a quirky or eccentric or even radical way. We probably all have witnessed the color of a personality becoming overwhelmed by a drive to make a statement. This is understandable for Mr. Spielberg as he has arrived at the winter of his career. And his statement is not a statement at all. But a desire to make a point is felt through the film’s entirety.
The Fabelmans is a look into the filmmaker’s beginning influences and his decision to follow his dream of telling stories. He uses almost three hours to expose a family drama linked throughout the years by vague journal meanderings. At one point my fellow critic Daniel whispered, “Let it end so I can understand.”
It ended with a surprise of a quasi-cameo and a skip into the sun and hopeful beginnings— I still don’t “understand.“ And that’s ok. But I’m supposed to write a review. A difficult thing for me unless I’m moved, this may be due perhaps to my lack of knowledge of the Jewish Faith. Which was an integral thread throughout the film.
Based on the life of Steven Spielberg, Sammy’s mother, portrayed by Michelle Williams (My Week with Marilyn, Manchester By the Sea), offers freedom for a young man and yet he perpetually struggles with a intangible imprisoned by a wonderful but boring father.
The father, depicted by Paul Dano (There Will Be Blood, Little Miss Sunshine), is a computer engineer whose connection to his family may be hindered by his success with electronics.
The Fabelmans wants to show you the family’s backstory and unabashedly reveal the path of his somewhat normal family life from childhood to young adults. Mostly told through the heart of the son, Sammy, who prefers to be called “Sam” represented by Gabriel LaBelle (Dead Shack, The Predator), let’s us in on these feelings and his internal battles. LaBelle shines as the young Spielberg in this role.
Seth Rogan who plays “Uncle” Benny (Superbad, Pineapple Express) in an interview admits ‘That he would most likely never work with Spielberg, due to a terrible first meeting, at an award show after-party. That night he met Spielberg, lit a joint during the conversation, and felt was ill-received.’ The families’ true Uncle Boris, Judd Hirsch (Independence Day, A Beautiful Mind) is the connection between Sam and his dream of making movies and the clean and clear coach’s motivational but realistic speech.
Don’t go in with the expectation of a fulfilling and spectacular tale with a profoundness marking a period to a career. No it feels more like a new beginning.
For me, the film is really about “Sam’s” mother.
Michelle Williams gives the performance of a lifetime as Mrs. Fabelman. It could be declared that she is the crazy glue that holds this family together functioning and growing and giving her boy the platform to fly.
Don’t go in with the expectation of a fulfilling and spectacular tale with a profoundness marking a period to a career. No it feels more like a new beginning.
For me, the film is really about “Sam’s” mother.
Michelle Williams gives the performance of a lifetime as Mrs. Fabelman. It could be declared that she is the crazy glue that holds this family together functioning and growing and giving her boy the platform to fly.
