Plot: What’s it about?
When I think of the films (and television shows) of James L. Brooks, it brings a smile to my face. Yes, folks, The Simpsons had that much of an impact on me. Add to that, he’s managed to direct some pretty good films as well. Terms of Endearment not only won Best Picture, but a second Best Actor statue for Jack Nicholson, Broadcast News is one of my all-time favorites as is As Good as it Gets (which merited Nicholson his third Best Actor Oscar). Suffice it to say, that James L. Brooks has very little to prove in Hollywood. So what, then, went wrong with Ella McCay? It’s the prototypical film with a great director, a stellar cast and a promising premise, but something was certainly lost in translation. Add to that, I’d hardly heard of the film until it arrived on my doorstep. Let’s dive in.
There’s a definite Broadcast News vibe going on here, but it focuses on politics instead of television. Emma Mackey plays the titular character, a woman who becomes the interim governor of California after her boss (Albert Brooks) is appointed to a cabinet position. So, just as her professional career starts to ascend, her personal life starts to fall apart. Her estranged father, Eddie (Woody Harrelson) wants to make amends and her younger brother, Casey (Spike Fearn) is become more and more reclusive. Her husband, Ryan (Jack Lowden) is involved in a scandal that gets the press involved leaving the only person she can truly depend on is her aunt Helen (Jamie Lee Curtis). What’s a girl (and a governor) to do?
The film has a definite throwback vibe to it, harkening back to the 80’s and 90’s, you know – Brooks’ heyday. And that’s fine. But the real tripping point of the film is the cast, which is arguably the film’s greatest strength. It gets bogged down with too many subplots and showing (insert famous actor here). There doesn’t seem to be a need to see Casey trying to win back his ex-girlfriend (Ayo Edebiri), or two cops bickering about overtime pay (Kumail Nanjiani and Joey Brooks), and the efforts of Ryan’s mother (Becky Ann Baker) to advance her son’s career. It detracts from the main point of the film and that, in turn, slows it down. There’s a lot to like here, but there’s also a lot of room for improvement – unfortunately it’s too little too late.
Video: How’s it look?
Visually, there’s a lot to like. Disney’s 1.85:1 AVC HD encode presents the film in a nice, warm and natural atmosphere that’s a stark contrast to modern-day politics. Sorry, I couldn’t resist. Detail is fine, all the (aging) stars look their best and the sets, scenery and the like are all bathed in earthy-toned colors. In other words, it’s fine and what we’ve come to expect from a day-and-date Blu-ray. No complaints here.
Audio: How’s it sound?
The same can be said for the film’s soundtrack. A standard DTS HD Master Audio mix can be found with plenty of dialogue to boot, there’s an ample selection of surround sounds that add a bit of depth to some scenes, but by and large this one is all about the dialogue. And it sounds fine. There’s not a drive to have this be anything memorable and, simply put, it serves its purpose.
Supplements: What are the extras?
- A James L. Brooks Film – Basically that. The ensemble cast and crew are interviewed as they all gush about working with Brooks. And I can’t blame them, but it is a bit gratuitous.
- In Good Company: The Cast of Ella McCay – In the “more of the same” department, we get Brooks along with said cast who all lavish affection on one another (not physically, of course) but it’s a bit too much.
- Bloopers – Some outtakes from the film.
- Deleted Scenes – Nine deleted scenes are included, though none of them would seem to have added much to the film. It’s best they were left on the cutting room floor.
The Bottom Line
Ella McCay won’t tarnish the reputation that James L. Brooks has worked a lifetime to achieve, but it won’t be another jewel in his crown, either. This had all the right elements in place, but things just didn’t click. For true fans out there, the disc looks and sounds fine, but there’s really not a lot of incentive to pick this up.
