The Wasteland Reviewer

Ella McCay (2025) Written Review

Who wouldn’t want a little bit of hope and sincerity injected into their lives? The world has certainly become quite cynical in the year 2025. Maybe folks gravitate towards darker humor and heavier stories. Even when they go for something more humorous, the taste for jokes and humor have gotten a quite bit darker as well. Sarcasm is prevalent and plenty of macabre jokes permeate our lives and our entertainment. But writer/director James L. Brooks looked to inject some good old fashioned Frank Capra charm and sincerity into our lives with his new comedy/drama Ella McCay. 

Did Brooks accomplish this goal? Marginally. Ella McCay certainly is a film that features a more vibrant, bubbly, and hopeful outlook on the world. But Ella McCay is uneven in its execution. There are bursts of vulgarity and dark humor that feel like they come out of nowhere. The overall tone also struggles to reach the rich frequency of all those classic Old Hollywood films that Brooks is striving to tune into. There are some good cathartic moments that pop up throughout the film and inject some light into the story, but they don’t occur often enough. The film also struggles to reach the heavier elements of the film. There are some weighty emotions in the beginning of the film, but those feelings clash with the tone that Brooks is attempting to convey. One of the other big issues of the film is its uneven and sporadic passing. There are elements that feel so bubbly and move well but others that drag this film down so well. 

Where do some of those pacing issues come from? Brooks’ script is quite uneven and scattered from the start. This film is about the titular character, her family trauma, her goal to make a difference in politics, and her overall clash against the negativity of the world. But there are plenty of elements in the film that are distracting from this central presence. There are whole subplots that are woefully out of place, including a romantic subplot for Ella’s brother, which takes up way too much time in the film and is only heartily acknowledged. There are other more significant elements that get tied up too quickly and randomly slotted into the film. The film is an interesting attempt at capturing a classic political tale but feels so unbelievable in today’s context that it keeps the audience at a distance. Ella is endearing enough of a character that we can get behind some of the elements of the film but never enough to keep your attention for the whole two-hour runtime. Too many cliches, tropes, and caricatures make this a sloppy and uninteresting ride. 

Does this stacked cast bring enough to entertain in the film? Emma Mackey is a strong actor (Sex Education showed that), but this character does not give her the space to really show that off. She is charming enough at times, but the high hopes of Brooks’ vision feel like they are consuming her performance. Jamie Lee Curtis and Albert Brooks are a pair of veteran performers who just get how to be engaging on screen, and they accentuate their characters’ writing so well. Woody Harrelson is more of a cartoon character than a real character, but he is charismatic enough to engage when he is on screen. Rebecca Hall just might be the most under-appreciated and utilized actors working today and she steals the limited amount of screen time she has with her emotion and authenticity. Kumail Nanjiani is charming as always even if he is just a walking positivity meme. Spike Fearn and Ayo Edebiri are relegated to that random subplot which is a shame since they queue into their quirky, neurotic characters well. Jack Lowden is too good of an actor to be wasted as this cartoon villain that he is saddled with has Ella’s scumbag husband. They bring some life but not enough to make this film truly shine. 

Does Brooks bring back some old school Hollywood magic with Ella McCay? The attempt was genuine, but the execution just never reaches where it needs to go. Too messy and uneven to really click with its audience, this comedy/drama is a misfire. Emma Mackey is too talented to be saddled with such a clunky character and story. Some veteran performers and inspired moments give the film some solid moments and elements, but more is needed. This is a December flick that will get eaten up by the cinematic onslaught that the end of the year is.