ELLA McCAY – Review by T.J. Callahan
Ella McCay: Little Miss Nooner
Everyone needs an Aunt Helen…especially if she’s played by Jamie Lee Curtis. Good thing Ella McCay has one…to keep her in check when her fast-paced life starts to unravel.
Emma Mackey is Ella, a 34 year old go-getter who’s already the Lt Governor of her home state and in the pole position for political stardom…until she gets her shot at the top job too soon. When the governor gets promoted mid term to, dare I say, a cabinet post, and a personal scandal becomes Broadcast News at the same time, the uptight, over achieving, over planner can’t talk her way out of a potential War of the Roses.
Written by Oscar and Emmy winner James L. Brooks, his character of Ella McCay needs to come to Terms with her Endearments in this PG-13 comedy/drama that marks the 85 year old Brooks’ return to the BIG screen after a 15 year hiatus. The cast is stacked for the little known Emma Mackey, who reminds me of a cross between Anne Hathaway and Margot Robbie. Woody Harrelson is her estranged father. Julie Kavner, who we haven’t seen on film since 2006, uses her unmistakable voice as the narrator of Ella’s life as well as being her life-saving secretary. The loveable Albert Brooks is equally endearing as the forever schmoozing Governor Bill. Young fan favorites Kumail Nanjani and Ayo Ediberi support, but it’s Jamie Lee who can Say Anything and steal every scene she’s in as the tie that binds Ella’s professional and personal life. Curtis has a big job, as she is also the glue that keeps this film from being anything more than lukewarm comfort food.
Ella McCay isn’t the strongest script for Brooks to be Starting Over with now. It’s as chaotic as Ella’s life. His strokes are too broad using Cliff Notes takes on family trauma and political life. It’s like Brooks is trying to write for Gen Zers. The biggest lesson I took away from this film is to not take Ambien more than 3 nights in a row. Or maybe I should have? My husband Ricky kept both eyes open and we were both hopeful for a sharp and heartwarming movie, but we ended up asking ourselves is this As Good As It Gets? Ella McCay claws to a 5 on the TeejFlixometer.
