The Fabelmans, which has received as many as 7 nominations in the 95th Academy Awards, is a semi-autobiographical film by Steven Spielberg and tells the journey of a young man aspiring to be a filmmaker. However, it also focuses on his relationship with his family members and their ups and downs over the years. The film is 152 minutes long and keeps one hooked thanks to the fantastic storytelling by the master filmmaker. Technically, the film is strong and a few scenes are very well executed and thought of. Some emotional scenes stand out, especially the ones revolving around the mother and son. Some plot points, however, ought to have been better explained but thankfully, this is a minor shortcoming. Speaking of performances, Gabriel LaBelle aces the lead role of Sam Fabelman. Special mention should also go to Mateo Zoryan Francis-DeFord who plays the young Sam. Michelle Williams (Mitzi) is terrific and justifiably deserves an Oscar nomination. Paul Dano (Burt) is adorable. Seth Rogen (Bennie) is, as always, dependable. Judd Hirsch is too good. Though he’s there for less than 10 minutes, one has to see the film to understand why he has got an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Sam Rechner (Logan), Chloe East (Monica) and Oakes Fegley (Chad) are decent. All in all, The Fabelmans is a must-watch.
My rating – **** out of 5!