Review of Being Julia (2004) by Sanjaya B — 01 Jul 2015

Being Julia.

On cable.

Rating: R 104 minutes Dramedy.

Director: István Szabó.

Writer: Ronald Harwood.

Starring: Annette Bening, Jeremy Irons, Shaun Evans, Bruce Greenwood and Michael Gambon.

It's London in 1938 and cinemas are taking over. Jimmie Langton (Michael Gambon who worked in film since 1965, including the Harry Potter series) is Julia's (Oscar-nominee and Golden Globe winner for this film) mentor. He whispers advice from the grave.

His husband/manager is Michael Gosselyn (Jeremy Irons, with multiple awards including a Oscar for Reversal of Fortune). Julie pines for Lord Charles (Bruce Greenwood, known for two Star Trek movies and Mad Men (TV), and falls a younger American (Shaun Evans, known for his work on television series and mini's).

Julia is big enough of a star that she improvises her lines but she is getting older. And bored of this play - which receives rave reviews. Gossip about her and her young lover is all over London. But her husband doesn't care - playing around with the up and coming actress in the husband and Julia's new play. (Think Bette Davis in "All About Eve".).

The flaws: the over-acting (Bening), the Lord could have written all together. The twist of the son's arrival wasn't much of a twist. The end of the movie went too long.

István Szabó is a Hungarian filmmaker with 36 credits, including films and shorts. He was nominated for a BAFTA for Oberest Redl (1986) and won a Golden Globe for Sunshine (1999).

Based on the W. Somerset Maugham novel "Theatre".

Ronald Harwood's credits for screenplays include, "The Pianist", "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly," and "Quartet". He's won an Oscar for "The Pianist" and been nominated for three more. He also received two nominations for Golden Globes, four nominations for the BAFTAS, and won for Le scaphandre et le papillon (2007).

Producers:

Robert Lantos has produced more than 70 television shows and films. He was nominated for a BAFTA (2008) and has won numerous Genie Awards (Canada).

Marion Pilowsky is known for writing, directing, and producing shorts. She went on to produce "Little Fish" with Cate Blanchett.