There is nothing Hollywood likes more than a movie that celebrates the moviemaking process. Whether that is Hugo, The Artist or Hail, Caesar!, a story about films and how they’re made is the ultimate pat-on-the back to an already overstuffed ego. And what could be more heavy-handed than a director telling his own semi-autobiographical story? Thankfully, with The Fablemans, the director in question is none other than Steven Spielberg who weaves a tale that is equal parts charming, tragic, and uplifting and kicks off the holiday movie season with aplomb.
The first movie Sammy Fableman ever sees is The Greatest Show on Earth, and he is immediately bitten by the moviemaking bug. His first attempt is a recreation of the epic train crash from that film, followed by short, scary movies with his siblings. Years later as a teenager, Sammy (Gabriel LeBelle) begins to take on bigger projects with his friends utilizing unique techniques in order to render them more realistic. Real life intrudes on his passion, however, when his father Burt (Paul Dano) transfers jobs to California where Sammy soon becomes a pariah for the bullies at his new school. Additionally, when editing a film about a family camping trip, he learns a secret about his mother Mitzi (Michelle Williams) that strains their relationship and could destroy their family if revealed. Faced with all of this, Sammy ponders giving up his dreams for good just to allow for some sense of normality in his tumultuous life.
This is an astounding achievement that Spielberg should be proud of. True, it doesn’t have the special effects of Jurassic Park, nor does it reinvent a genre like Jaws, but it delivers a truly stunning experience that anyone who is a fan of the director should immediately run out and see. It’s an intriguing and engaging story, and while it IS about making movies, the core of this is the relationship between Sammy and his family, and none of that would have worked without pitch-perfect casting.
Gabriel LeBelle had better get used to stardom quickly as he is going to be in huge demand shortly. His performance is flawless, and I guarantee he will become a household name in a few years. Michelle Williams delivers her best work, and if his family is the core, then her and Sammy’s relationship is the heart of the film, and without their chemistry, the biggest chunk of the movie would never have worked. Hell, even Seth Rogen gets to show off his serious acting chops, even though he couldn’t fully escape his trademark laugh.
Spielberg is the greatest living director and might also be the best of all time, so it’s only fitting that he was the one to tell this story loosely based on his own. While it is slightly too long and is reminiscent of The Return of the King in that it has a few false endings, nothing can detract from the production value, writing, and acting that is contained within. We are all familiar with what he has done in his career, so it’s something special to be able to learn how and where it all started. It’s truly a masterpiece that not only fans of the fabled (pun intended) director will fall for but also anyone who loves cinema. It’s the perfect holiday gift come early, and one that will reward you as soon as you open it.