Adorable Julia

It's London 1938. Julia Lambert (Annette Bening) is a successful stage actress but she wants a break. Tom Fennel is a young American fan. His devotion turns the diva onto a gitty affair. Soon, he's flirting with younger actress Avice Crichton (Lucy Punch).

This is all about Bening. It's her show. Tom Sturridge doesn't exactly shine. The movie needs him to be a big star actor but he's much too bland. He's a real dud. On the other hand, Lucy Punch is fun and a funny foil. It does seem that this wouldn't be anything without Bening. She almost wills this into something good from lesser material. There are plenty of great actors around but it's Bening's movie from start to finish.

I am not a fan of Annette Benning by any stretch of the imagination. I thought she was far too old to play the schoolgirlish ingenue in "An American President", and found her lacking in warmth and charisma as the love interest in "Open Range". I thought she was okay for what she had to do in "Dick Tracy", and honestly can't remember her performance in "American Beauty".

In "Being Julia", however, Benning's performance thoroughly does justice to her larger-than-life character. Benning plays 1930s stage actress Julia Lambert. Julia is by turns melodramatic, egocentric, overbearing and overwrought. She roars into our consciousness from her first scene to her final curtain.

Benning is surrounded by a fine cast of actors and actresses who act as perfect foils for her. Jeremy Irons, especially, is subtle and subdued as her manager husband, Michael Gosselyn. Juliet Stevenson is a sly confederate as Julia's dresser Evie. Miriam Margolyes is a hoot as theatre owner Dolly. Shaun Evans is a feast for the eyes as Tom Fennell, the young cad who breaks Julia's heart. Michael Gambon rounds out the cast as Jimmy Langton, a ghostly mentor to the very much alive and lively Julia.

Julia is not exactly what you would call an admirable human being. She is self-centered, bitchy, catty and vengeful. But, as the Italians say, "revenge is a dish best eaten cold". The film keeps us in suspense as we nervously wait for the other shoe to drop, for Julia to execute her carefully plotted revenge. When she springs her trap, we may shake our heads disapprovingly, but we cannot suppress a hearty laugh.

By its very nature, "Being Julia" is a film that will not appeal to a young demographic. You have to be a certain age to appreciate Julia's predicament of growing old and feeling that life and love have passed her by. Benning bravely allows director Istvan Szabo to film her in merciless and unforgiving closeup, to capture the lines etched in her brow, around her mouth and at her neckline. But the film leaves us with a sense of hope that, like Julia, we may all age like fine wine -- or like the beer whose creamy foam Julia relishes like her life itself: without the slightest trace of sadness or regret.

Based on W. Somerset Maugham's novella István Szabó's 'Being Julia' tells the story of burnt out theatre star who's bored with her life and is going through amid-life crisis of sorts, complaining to anyone who'll pay attention until she meets a young American fan which. This leads her to rediscover her lust for life as well as facing new challenges.

The film is very much a character-driven piece, focusing almost entirely on Julia. The 30s setting and atmosphere is splendidly caught thanks to the excellent art direction, costume and makeup. The score contributes well. Overall director Szabó does a good job. However, the casting of Shaun Evans as Julia's young American lover felt slightly awkward. Of the supporting cast, Jeremy Irons, Michael Gambon, Juliet Stevenson and Lucy Punch do a delightful job.

But what would 'Being Julia' be without Annette Bening who performs all guns blazing delivering another tour du force performance. She is a real treat to watch and perhaps I'm not going too far in saying that this could even be used as a textbook in acting. Whether as the theatrical actress, the vulnerable woman seeking affection, the loving mother who has a fragile relationship with her son and even the employee who quietly appreciates Evie's support, Bening depicts each layer of her character with conviction. Bening owns the film.

Excellent. Annette Bening was brilliant. You really feel her pain and desperation, in the first part of the movie, but you just love the way she gets her vengeance. Its the kind of movie where in the back of your head you're like 'go get em Julia'. And considering the situation of the main character, the movie never takes it self too seriously. Swift, easy watching, touching, funny intuitive and clever.

You don't have to be a fan of Annette Bening (or Jeremy Irons) to enjoy this high-spirited tale of theatrical life - or rather, Julia Lambert's life, to be specific.

Based on a novella by my one of my all-time favorite authors, W. Somerset Maugham, Being Julia is sort of like All About Eve, except not as stage-y. It's a period piece, taking place in England in the '30s, where burnt-out Diva Extraordinaire Julia Lambert is moaning and groaning about her tedious, boring life to anyone who will listen, including her weathered and weary husband (Irons, drolly pipe-puffing his way through the film as only he could). She meets a young, handsome, American fan/opportunist (Shaun Evans, highly effective) and together they rekindle Julia's lust for life.

This is just the first half hour - it gets better and more and more outrageous (and of course more FUN) as it goes on. Needless to say, you won't be bored; in fact, you might very well leave the theater smiling and shaking your head, as I did.