The Fabelmans

The Fabelmans

A coming-of-age story about a young man’s discovery of a shattering family secret and an exploration of the power of movies to help us see the truth about each other and ourselves.

  • Released: 2022-11-11
  • Runtime: 151 minutes
  • Genre: Drama
  • Stars: Gabriel LaBelle, Paul Dano, Seth Rogen, Julia Butters, Judd Hirsch, Jeannie Berlin, Robin Bartlett, Oakes Fegley, Chloe East, Gabriel Bateman, Art Bonilla, Jonathan Hadary, Sam Rechner, Isabelle Kusman, Keeley Karsten, Sophia Kopera, Greg Grunberg, James Urbaniak, Lane Factor, Meredith VanCuyk
  • Director: Steven Spielberg
 Comments
  • proud_luddite - 29 June 2024
    A great drama and piece of film history
    Sammy Fabelman (played mainly by Gabriel Labelle and also by Mateo Zoryan Francis-deFord in earlier scenes) is a Jewish boy whose family lives in three different U. S. states (New Jersey, Arizona, and California) during his childhood in the 1950s and early 1960s. He shows a great interest in movie cameras, filming scenes of his family and friends. "The Fabelmans" is based on the life of Steven Spielberg who directed the film and is one of its co-writers along with Tony Kushner.

    The first hour of the film is pleasant and seemingly uneventful but it builds up to greater drama later when there are hints of family troubles. These hints are perfectly ambiguous. They give the impression that something may be off in the Fabelman family - maybe even creepy - while also allowing the benefit of the doubt. The viewer follows Sammy as he gradually clues in to what is happening.

    After a serious conflict between Sammy and his mother Mitzi (Michelle Williams), there is a scene when Mitzi is viewing family scenes that Sammy has filmed and edited. In this scene, the viewer sees only Mitzi and her reactions to the film. Williams does a superb job in this scene as she does in so many others in portraying a very troubled, complex soul.

    The final third of the film mixes the heat of family drama with Sammy's troubles in high school and dealing with anti-Semitic bullies. During a confrontation with one of the bullies, he delivers a hilariously ironic line considering what would happen in the future.

    Without revealing much, there is a special scene at the end when Sammy is new to the Hollywood scene. Film lovers would understand the historical significance of this great scene.

    Overall, "The Fabelmans" is a very good film. It raises what some might call 'soap opera drama' to a higher level. And in addition to Williams, Labelle also gives a praiseworthy performance. - dbamateurcritic

    RATING: 9 out of 10

    OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT: Acting by Michelle Williams.
  • meinwonderland - 12 February 2024
    Steven Spielberg's love letter to cinema
    Semi-autobiographical coming-of-age that follows the life of Sammy since he finds himself fascinated by cinema after being exposed to a movie. With time, that fascination becomes love, and what started as home movies develops into more serious and professional productions. The narrative dynamic between his "hobby," as his father used to call it, and the intra-familiar relations with many interesting turning points is well executed. Gabriel LaBelle is very good; in his pretentiousness and vulnerability, he gives Sammy a quality that makes him a protagonist easy to sympathize with. Steven Spielberg portrays both love and woe in a real and natural way, making The Fabelmans a simple yet beautiful and enjoyable movie to see.