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The Fabelmans

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7.6/10 • 2.5K

2022-11-112h 31m

Drama

Capture every moment.

Growing up in post-World War II era Arizona, young Sammy Fabelman aspires to become a filmmaker as he reaches adolescence, but soon discovers a shattering family secret and explores how the power of films can help him see the truth.

Directors
Steven Spielberg
Writters
Tony Kushner, Steven Spielberg
Editors
Tony Kushner, Steven Spielberg, Sarah Broshar

Top Billed Cast

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  1. Michelle Williams

    Michelle Williams

    Mitzi Fabelman

  2. Paul Dano

    Paul Dano

    Burt Fabelman

  3. Seth Rogen

    Seth Rogen

    Benny Loewy

  4. Gabriel LaBelle

    Gabriel LaBelle

    Sammy Fabelman

  5. Mateo Zoryan Francis-DeFord

    Mateo Zoryan Francis-DeFord

    Younger Sammy Fabelman

  6. Keeley Karsten

    Keeley Karsten

    Natalie Fabelman

  7. Alina Brace

    Alina Brace

    Young Natalie Fabelman

  8. Julia Butters

    Julia Butters

    Reggie Fabelman

  9. Birdie Borria

    Birdie Borria

    Younger Reggie Fabelman

Reviews4

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Peter McGinn Avatar

Peter McGinn

Jan 6, 2023

6/10

I saw several negative reviews before I watched this, and I assumed there was an element of grading someone a bit more harshly when they have achieved wild success or, heaven forbid, if they do stellar work in one genre such as sci-fi or adventure and then have the chutzpah to create a film in a different genre not appreciated by the sci-fi etc. fans. Maybe there was some of that baggage involved; how else to explain one-star reviews. Really? A disgusting gross-out comedy might get 4 stars, but a serious biopic gets one? But I have given it six stars, probably my low for a Spielberg movie. I thought the film was too episodic. Here is where he saw his first movie; here is him with his first camera; here is where he learns something upsetting about his parents’ marriage; here is some bullying and then that part in every coming of age movie it seems, where a pretty girl throws herself at him. Sure wish that had happened to me at that tender age. And some of the scenes felt rather cliched to me. Also, and this is a bit of a spoiler, at one point his mother assures him she has not done ”that” with Bennie, and she loves her children and husband more than anything, but she still can’t live without Bennie? I had trouble with that revelation. But it isn’t all negative stuff. I thought a lot of the acting was strong, with a few exceptions, and most of the dialogue was good, but when a film is 2 and a half hours long, consistency is hard to come by, and there were a few hiccups here and there. The scene with John Ford was intriguing, but they could have done a bit more with it. I liked the two sisters as characters, but again, not enough depth was given to them. A bit of a lost opportunity.

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Status
Released
Original Language
English
Budget
$40,000,000.00
Revenue
$45,629,909.00
Keywords
high schoolhusband wife relationshiparizonabullyingfamily relationshipscoming of ageantisemitismteenage boyfilmmakingchildhoodsemi autobiographicalmarital problembig dreamsfather son relationshipmother son relationshipintrospectiveadoringcomfortingcompassionateempatheticsympatheticyoung filmmaker