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BEING JULIA (2004) (***)

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This isn’t the first and I’m sure it won’t be the last film about the trials of an aging actress. This isn’t ALL ABOUT EVE, but star Annette Bening makes it quite engaging.

Bening (AMERICAN BEAUTY) plays stage legend Julia Lambert, who is worn out from performing. She is feeling her age and is alienated from other people due to her star status. Her husband Michael Gosselyn (Jeremy Irons, REVERSAL OF FORTUNE) is a distant and vain man, who lives a separate life from Julia. One day a young American named Tom Fennel (Shaun Evans, THE BOYS & GIRL FROM COUNTY CLARE), who adores Julia and ends up seducing her, comes into their lives.

This affair sparks new life in Julia, however is becomes obvious that young Tom is an ambitious social climber and more interested in the young actress Avice Crichton (Lucy Punch, ELLA ENCHANTED). Julia is often counseled by her dead mentor Jimmie Langton (Michael Gambon, GOSFORD PARK), her assistant Evie (Juliet Stevenson, TRULY, MADLY, DEEPLY), her best friend and crush Lord Charles (Bruce Greenwood, I, ROBOT) and her son Roger (Tom Sturridge, VANITY FAIR).

Julia is a fascinating character. She hates the restraints put on her by her career like for instance not drinking beer. She is a bit of a prima dona, but can be genuinely kind to people. However, if you wrong her – watch out – she is a devious master of revenge. Though you’ve seen this story before, I was never bored and was completely engaged throughout the film.

But most of all, Bening is amazing. She rightfully deserved the Oscar nomination. She is a talented and deep performer who deserves to have one of those bald gold guys on her mantel. (As long as she’s not nominated again in the same year as Hilary Swank, she’s got a good chance of winning.) The film is a witty and drool drama that succeeds by having a fully developed and greatly performed character at its center.

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Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks