by Samuel Nichols, Contributing Writer
When you reach a certain status in society or government, you are bound to be surrounded by hangers-ons. These leeches only support a figure because they believe the power their leader might yield can get them something they want. So they offer their support in the form of pats on the back and affirmations. Rather than real counsel or advisors, they are yes men, the most firm and selfish believers in the phrase, “You catch more flies with honey than vinegar.” But they can turn bitter. Refuse them something out of the altruism of your heart or soul, and they’ll throw you under the bus. Someone fighting an entourage of encouragers could be an interesting story for a movie. Shoot, it could even be funny. But James L. Brooks may have had too many yes men around him to tell that story right in Ella McCay.
Lieutenant Governor Ella McCay (Emma Mackey) is pinned down. With her predecessor about to leave office, and her set to take over, she is pressed by the anxiety of running a state and wanting to make real change happen. Her husband Ryan (Jack Lowden) wants more than just being the first gentlemen; but a scandal involving their sex life might just make Ella a news pariah. The cherry on top, her absentee, womanizing father (Woody Harrelson) wants to introduce Ella and her little brother Casey (Spike Fearn) to his new girlfriend. But at least Ella has her loving aunt Helen (Jamie Lee Curtis) and trusty assistant Estelle (Julie Kavner). That might be all she needs to get through everything in front of her.
Not once could I tell you that I was bored during this movie. Granted, that is the equivalent of jumping over a credit card: not a high bar. But still, it is something to remember when I say this movie does too much. Ella as a character is stretched far too thin. Any one or two of these stories could have made for a very interesting story and relatively interesting foray into a moderate political figure. But putting all of them together is too much.
Mackey is enough to make this movie watchable on her own. She is zany and kind, and does an earnest portrayal of a politician who’s new to the whole pomp and circumstance. I saw someone online say it was a Mr. Smith Goes to Washington in modern times, and that’s the most positive take about this movie you could give. And that would be impossible without Mackey. Someone saw a vision with her — it just needed some trimming, but she could do something special sometime soon.
Similarly, whenever Mackey shares the screen with Curtis, it is electric. They have a real feeling bond that makes sense for this story. McCay is losing grip on her life with everything on her plate, and being able to turn to the woman who raised her would be important; they nail their shared scenes. Curtis brings that energy she has had for the entire 2020s, showing why she won that Oscar.
But for every good scene we get between these two, there are more having to deal with the side story that is Ella chasing down her brother. Even worse, we might have listen to her husband be passive aggressive, or just straight aggressive. Shoot, there could be those shoehorned stories of Ella’s loser dad begging for approval from his kids. This movie does not know when to focus on one part of Ella’s life or another. We are in complete shuffle mode, and I am not here for it, kids.
The idea of a younger woman trying to come to grips with a political battlefield, and where to compromise or hold her ground, could make for an interesting coming-of-age movie. And when the movie shies away from that, I lose interest. Ella should be a hero, not one combatant in a family full of nut jobs who are trauma bragging.
Before I let you go, here is a reminder that I did not hate this movie. Was I disappointed? Yes. Did I have a bad time? No. Could I have done something better with those two hours of my life? Yes. Was it dangerous to drive through the Midwest snowstorms this weekend to see this movie? Like my buddy Kevin once said, “Waste of gas if you ask me.”
Rating: Didn’t Like It
Ella McCay is currently playing in theaters
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