I went to see The Fabelmans with no other notion than that of finding myself before a film that adapted part of the life of Steven Spielberg. I had never considered that in the legendary director’s childhood there could be such an interesting film; For this reason, the main question I asked myself before the screening was the following: Is The Fabelmans an enjoyable film for those who ignore its biographical nature? Fortunately, the answer is a resounding “yes.” The director of ET gives us, together with precious memories of him, a beautiful family drama that delves into the price to pay for our passionsboth from the blank canvas of a child and on the long road traveled by an adult person.
The Fabelmans begins in the 50s, with a young 5-year-old Spielberg (named Sam) going to see his first movie in the theater in fear; His parents are the ones who encourage him to enjoy the experience, each one from the purest essence of him: his father, Burtz (Paul Dano), appealing to the thirst for knowledge and the balm of science; Mitzi (Michelle Williams), for her part, trying to connect her hearts by giving voice to her feelings, as she does every time she sits down to stroke the keys of her piano. The film leaves little Sammy much more shocked than what his parents could have anticipated; The little boy tries to control that fear by recreating the strongest scenes from the film that he had just seen and, thanks to the help of his mother, he ends up channeling that emotion in what will be his first film. From that moment on, young Sammy will no longer see the life of his traditional Jewish family (made up of his parents and his three sisters) with the same eyes, something that will spread to the world around him. .
Los Fabelmans narrates, making use of time jumps, the main milestones that would mark Spielberg’s life, from the age of 5 to his first job on tv. In this latest work by the filmmaker, two very different films come together, but both are exceptionally well managed. On the one hand, we have the story marked by the turbulent relationship of Sammy’s parents, which would end up affecting the entire family; on the other, a tale of growing up, learning and accepting the raison d’être of a young Spielberg, whose contagious enthusiasm (and evident talent) will end up being the link between both plots. In between, we can also see glimpses of the anisemitism that the family had to face.
The two and a half hours that the film lasts could well be interpreted as an amalgamation of well-stitched anecdotes, but that would be to stay too far on the surface of everything Los Fabelmans has to offer. Not even the strange rhythm it exhibits, more typical of conveniently connected series chapters (especially when trying to unite two such complex stories), is capable of overshadowing all the achievements of the director’s most intimate work.
With stupendous moments of comedy, reminiscent of his adventure films, flirtations with horror, and moments as beautiful as they are heartbreaking, Spielberg condenses his memories and expertly projects them through the most appropriate lens; We can find within the film a journey through the filmmaker’s own film milestones, not only through his tonal variation, but also through small and subtle details that are well worth a second viewing. Especially enjoyable are those moments in which we see the first mechanical devices of a Spielberg who is discovering the engine of his life, as well as their subsequent evolution during the film. beyond being a master class in directing excellenceThe Fabelmans is a wonderful family dramafascinating as only life itself can be, even within its surprising everyday life.
At 76, Steven Spielberg commented in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter that your goal with this moviebeyond exploring that childhood that has always appeared in his films, it was explore when a child began to see their parents as real human beings. It is something that is transmitted perfectly thanks to masterful performances by Paul Dano and Michelle Williams, whose looks and body language work at a superb level, especially when interacting with the different versions of Sammy. The feelings that work on the basis of their conflicts are as intense as they are familiar, something that Spielberg’s two-handed stupendous script with Tony Kushner is in charge of adequately promoting. Of course, John Williams’ music is also an unbeatable catalyst to fully exploit the power of these moments. Curiously, the interpretation of the young Gabriel LaBelle as Spielberg, despite being up to the task, has not been the biggest surprise within the cast.
The Fabelmans is a beautiful family drama that delves into the price to pay for our passions
In this regard, It is worth noting the powerful performances of the secondary, especially a Judd Hirsch whose role in the film has earned him an Oscar nomination. His portrayal of the person who made Spielberg decide to be a director is one of the most memorable scenes in the film. The unexpected presence of Seth Rogen as a friend of the Fabelman family also ends with a wonderful job from the Canadian actor, whose amazing chemistry with Michelle Williams sweetens every moment in which they share a plane.
All the sequences involving Spielberg with his parents exhibit a tenderness that is impossible not to tune in to. Not surprisingly, the director recounted in the previously mentioned interview how there were moments on set when he had to leave the set because of crying. The fact that the film presents an obvious job of polishing and refining to adapt those memories to a filmic experience does not make them any less powerful or true. The director is able to project a really beautiful vulnerability, a feeling that is magnified if we know, even superficially, the person from whom he came. And it is always exciting to see how a storyteller faces his own when exposing it to the world.
Los Fabelmans is a work that asks us to enter the room with an open heart, just like its director does with the public. In this way, we will not only enjoy a commendable authorial exercise, but also a film as exciting as the greatest of adventuresall this from the hand of imperfect, everyday and sweetly human characters.
