Review of The Fabelmans (2022) by Lisalr1 — 29 Jan 2023

THE FABELMANS, a semi-autobiographical account of the film's director, Steven Spielberg's childhood years, co-written by Spielberg and Tony Kushner, stars Gabriel LaBelle as the young, budding filmmaker Sammy Fabelman.

Sammy's hesitant, yet supportive parents, Mitzi and Burt Fabelman are played by the luminous Michelle Williams and the convincing Paul Dano. Also in the film, Judd Hirsch making a short but memorable appearance in his recent Best Supporting Actor Oscar-nominated performance as Sammy's cantankerous Uncle Boris.

Spielberg pays homage to the wonders and realities of youth, dreams and love of cinema seen through the eyes of Sammy whose early life witnesses his mother's unrealized musical aspirations, his father's multiple job changes resulting in the Fabelmans various moves from state-to-state, and the ultimate breakup of his family following his parents divorce.

All this going on while Sammy realizes and begins to nurture his own artistic talents for filmmaking. A highlight of the movie is an almost unrecognizable David Lynch who appears at the climax of the film as Iconic director John Ford who talks to Sammy about the importance of horizon in good filmmaking.

Steven Spielberg is one of the great directors who is blessed with a true gift for storytelling and he accomplishes this, again with THE FABELMANS. You may recognize his abiding love for Indiana Jones in this film through the character of a handsome, tough on the outside, flawed on the inside high school track star, caught on camera on Ditch Day by 18 year old Sammy Fabelman.

It's obvious Steven Spielberg never forgot him.