Steven Spielberg’s semi-autobiographical film The Fabelmans juxtaposes some stellar performances with a rather pedestrian take on his earlier years. It raises many questions about what was fiction and what actually happened in the life of one of the world’s most successful populist filmmakers.
The story begins in a New Jersey cinema where a very young Sammy Fabelman (Mateo Zoryan) experiences his first big screen film and it’s a life-changing event. His parents’ father Burt (Paul Dano) and mother Mitzi (Michelle Williams) are doing their best to help their young son cope with the anxieties of his youth.
As we transition to an older Sammy now played by Gabriel LaBelle, we see his progress as an aspiring auteur. At this point in the film, it becomes a fairly predictable outcast teen story. The scenes of his early attempts at filmmaking are easily the most interesting parts on display during this time.
What provides the most assertive qualities of the film are the acting chops displayed by Paul Dano as the uptight genius father and Michelle Williams’ luminous performance as Sam’s free-spirited mother. She fills every scene with a myriad of believable emotions. She really is outstanding. The joys of watching this level of craft far outweigh the deficiencies found in the script.
Rob Hudson
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