She’d like to change the world, but the script of ‘Ella McCay’ is running against her

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As a film critic, I often hear viewers wishing for movies like those classic, bittersweet comedies James L. Brooks used to create – think “Terms of Endearment” or “As Good as It Gets.” Those films had a certain charm that’s hard to find now, so I always pay attention when something new comes along that seems to be aiming for that same tone. Unfortunately, Brooks’ latest, “Ella McCay,” just doesn’t recapture that magic. It’s a deeply odd film, and frankly, it doesn’t feel like the work he used to do.

“Ella McCay” portrays a woman overwhelmed by pressure. Ella (played by Emma Mackey, sporting a distracting wig) is a young, somewhat clumsy state lieutenant governor, working for the experienced Governor Bill Moore (Albert Brooks). When Moore is chosen for a position in the President’s cabinet, Ella gets the promotion she’s been hoping for, becoming the youngest female governor in her state. However, this success coincides with increasing turmoil in her personal life. Through flashbacks to her teenage years, we learn that Ella has always struggled with a sense of family instability, and seeing happy families deeply affects her.

The story is told through Estelle (Julie Kavner, famous as the voice of Marge Simpson), who works as a secretary for Ella and readily admits she’s very fond of her. The film is set in 2008, a time when, as Estelle puts it, people could still have conversations with each other. Director James Brooks intentionally avoids directly addressing more recent and divisive political issues like the MAGA movement by setting the story in the recent past. However, this avoidance makes the film feel frustratingly unclear and lacking in substance. We know Ella lives under some kind of governing body and clashes with a political group, but the film deliberately avoids naming them, which feels overly cautious. It’s obvious Ella leans left politically, passionately supporting a program to help young children and families. The question is, why is the film so hesitant to be specific about the political landscape?

Ella just wants to focus on her work, but the men around her keep creating problems. Her dad (Woody Harrelson) is a serial cheater who’s trying to win over his new girlfriend, and she worries constantly about her brother (Spike Fearn), who rarely leaves the house. To make matters worse, her brother has a strange, unnecessary romance with an ex-girlfriend (Ayo Edebiri). And as Ella’s career takes off, her husband (Jack Lowden), who initially seemed supportive, starts enjoying the attention a little too much.

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James L. Brooks, the acclaimed director of films like “Terms of Endearment” and “Broadcast News,” returns after a 15-year hiatus with “Ella McCay,” a heartfelt and insightful look at its characters.

Ella constantly gets sidetracked helping the men around her, preventing her from focusing on her work and the job she supposedly enjoys. Even when she finally makes it to a meeting, it doesn’t go well. The movie seems to suggest that men consistently hinder women’s professional lives, although it’s unclear if the director fully realized this theme. Ella willingly gets involved in trivial distractions with her father and brother, and finds herself in a remarkably mild scandal. The bigger question is why she even bothers with these unhelpful people.

Honestly, watching Brooks felt like he didn’t quite get Ella’s story. It just wandered around her busy life in a way that looked nice, but didn’t really go anywhere. I didn’t feel like the stuff about her tough childhood – her parents’ difficult relationship – ever really landed, and it wasn’t all that believable to begin with. Yes, she has a quirky family, but the best part was definitely Ella and her aunt Helen – Jamie Lee Curtis is fantastic! They have such a great dynamic. Honestly, all the storylines with the men felt pointless. The only guy who deserved to be in Ella’s life was her security guy, Kumail Nanjiani! In a better movie, they’d have explored a connection, maybe some chemistry or even just a really meaningful conversation. But here, they just…didn’t. It felt like a missed opportunity.

The movie jumps from family troubles to political drama and back again, leading Ella to the conclusion that she doesn’t belong in the world of politics, but rather in nonprofit work – though she doesn’t really have a say in it. It’s frustrating to watch two hours of men creating problems for Ella, only for her to passively accept it and move on. Even if this message weren’t strange, it doesn’t work dramatically. The attempt to end on a hopeful note – “The opposite of trauma is hope” – feels just as confusing as the rest of the film. Fittingly, that final line is as unclear as everything else, meaning the movie ultimately doesn’t make much sense.

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2025-12-13 04:31