User reviews

This movie is so.... odd. It has some really good small pieces, and to be honest, there's the makings of a great movie here somewhere. But unfortunately it just doesn't coalesce. It feels like there were either major rewrites, or something seriously went down in the editing room.

At the end of the day, its biggest issue is that there's simply too many side plots going on. We have: Ella's career (which incorporates a couple of plot lines), her marriage, her brother, her father, her bodyguard... the list goes on. The brother could have been cut entirely (which is funny, given that what I think is the movie's best scene is with the brother), and the father plot line didn't add much either.

I think if the movie had cut a lot of the family side plots, refocused the movie to be about Ella wanting to get stuff done as a politician but being unable to (which is in the movie, but gets lost among the numerous plot threads) in addition to focusing on her marriage and the scandal, it would have been a far better movie.

It's not completely without merit, I think anyone giving it a 1 is exaggerating. As mentioned at the beginning, there's some really great individual scenes sprinkled in the movie. But overall it has very very deep flaws that really drag it down.

Ella McCay boasts a great cast, but unfortunately they are cobbled together with a muddled script and directionless story to create a rather lacklustre movie.

Tonally, the film is a mess. Is it a comedy? A drama? A satire? Who knows. Certainly not the cast or crew, as it was just all over the place in this respect. The performances didn't make any sense in the context of the story, almost feeling like caricatures of what they were trying to do.

In terms of the story and script, I really don't know what point it was trying to make. It circled around a few points and made them very poorly, but there were just too many story threads to give anything much focus. Characters and plot threads came and went in the blink of an eye, and there was no unifying theme or plot line or direction to it all.

It was also highly frustrating that practically every character in this film was highly annoying. I just simply did not care about any of them and struggled to get invested in any way to them.

I just really don't know what they were thinking with this film. A bizarre mess.

To paraphrase one of the Caped Crusader's most articulate but menacing foes, "When is a movie not a movie?" The answer: "When it should be a TV series instead." And that, unfortunately, is the inherent problem with this latest offering from legendary film and television writer-director-producer James L. Brooks. Set during the 2008 financial crisis, this comedy-drama tells the multifaceted story of its likable but beleaguered title character (Emma Mackey), an idealistic and enthusiastic lieutenant governor who champions causes aimed at helping everyday citizens, even if she's somewhat long-winded and overbearing in expressing herself. But, when her boss, affable, plainspoken "Governor Bill" (Albert Brooks), is named to a Presidential Cabinet post, Ella is unexpectedly elevated into the state's top executive post. However, she quickly finds herself dancing as fast as she can in handling both her political responsibilities and the challenges posed by her long-dysfunctional family members, pulling her in multiple directions at once. And that, sadly, is where the film gets itself into trouble by trying to incorporate too many story threads into one picture. Granted, each of the individual narrative elements is mostly solid but also mostly underdeveloped, simply because there are too many of them to adequately fit into the time constraints of a typical commercial production. For starters, there's Ella's stressful relationship with her estranged father, Eddie (Woody Harrelson), a serial philanderer who broke the heart of her lovelorn mother (Rebecca Hall), despite his pledges to mend his ways. Additional challenges come up in Ella's dealings with her younger, socially inept brother, Casey (Spike Fearn), and his occasional girlfriend, Susan (Avo Edibiri), as well as the new governor's strained relationship with her husband, Ryan (Jack Lowden), who struggles with the demands of his wife's excessive workload. To help her cope with these issues, Ella turns to her zany, no-nonsense Aunt Helen (Jamie Lee Curtis), a confidante and surrogate mother of sorts to whom she turns whenever she needs advice (much of which is blunt, colorful and unconventional as only Curtis can dispense). Further insights are provided by Ella's dutiful security detail chief (Kumail Nanjiani) and her trusted aide, Estelle (Julie Kavner), who doubles as the movie's narrator. Along the way, the film thankfully fills in the characters' back stories through a series of flashback sequences (a point on which many productions these days are woefully inadequate) and addresses a variety of key social and cultural themes to show that the picture has a conscience not to be ignored, a crucial element in an offering with political overtones. However, as should be apparent by now, that's a lot of ground to cover in two hours, which is why this material would have been a better fit for the small screen than the big one. I would have loved to see each of these story threads expanded into episodes of their own, and a television slot would have allowed that. What's more, given Brooks's extensive history of producing long-running TV shows like The Simpsons, Rhoda and The Mary Tyler Moore Show, there are few in Hollywood better qualified than him to pull off something like this. Moreover, as charming as the characters are in this film, they engage in yet another screen exploration of the dysfunctional family theme, a concept the director has drawn on multiple times before in such films as "Terms of Endearment" (1983), "Broadcast News" (1987) and "As Good As It Gets" (1997), ground that the filmmaker has more than sufficiently covered already. While it's true that "Ella McCay" has many elements going for it - great performances, terrific casting, engaging story threads, impressive character development and some decidedly good writing (especially when it comes to generating laughs) - the picture, regrettably, has difficulty pulling them all together, as if it were an overstuffed blender whose lid is precariously in danger of popping off. Clearly, some much-needed retooling of the project's underlying concept and format is needed here, and, had that come to pass, this might have been yet another feather in Brooks's storied cap. As it stands now, though, this will likely end up a largely forgotten item on the list of the director's accomplishments (and that, as they say, is as good as it gets).

The great director James L. Brooks of intelligent comedies about opposite personalities trying to find common ground like "Broadcast News" and "As Good As It Gets" finds himself unfrozen and out of place in a much more cynical, mechanical age, where his quirky timing seems forced, characters collide in set pieces that don't add up, and cute affectation now just seems annoying. Emma Mackey has a thoughtful magnetism as a lieutenant-governor trying to compensate for the early death of her mother by avoiding her philandering father (Woody Harrelson), micro-managing her basketcase younger brother, being a tiresome policy wonk and taking time-outs with her yenta aunt (Jamie Lee Curtis), but the main conflict seems pretty trite (normal conjugal relations with her husband on government property treated like the Lewinsky scandal), and one would think being told to step down from being governor of Rhode Island would be like being handed a winning lotto ticket, not a moral crisis. The film's ultimate message of ardent public service is a good one, especially in an age of shamelessly diabolical political agendas; you wish Brooks had stopped trying to shuffle his out-of-practice bag of dramatic tricks and just gotten to Ella fighting the good fight, scenes in short supply in dreary ol' 2025.

This film is all over the place... there isn't a coherent storyline that sticks. The jokes do not land either, was not funny in any way AT ALL. I was looking forward to this as the amazing Jamie Lee Curtis is in it as is another of my favourites Woody Harrelson. I think the actors struggle to make this plot (or lack of) work but as much as they try it just doesn't work. It is definitely not recommended. I don't score 4/10 often but this deserves the score I'm sorry to say. Have a great day.

I remember seeing the trailers for this film and I felt truly intrigued as it looked decent. But this movie is just straight up bad unfortunately I just couldn't find this movie anything else other than boring to be put it nicely. I appreciate a film for wanting to take a swing at something new and James L Brooks has made some absolutely great films and I appreciate his creative risk here but this movie just doesn't work at all. The story here is really convoluted and confusing to put it nicely and there's so many different plots that we just fly through without spending time or even expanding on them just to make this run time even longer than what it should've been. This movie feels like it takes absolutely forever to get somewhere and the film truly doesn't do a whole lot with its story and plots. The writing is also pretty bad and it's laughable at how dumb the characters are in this film especially our lead Ella McCay and it feels like the movie is intentionally making her really dumb and stupid for no reason. This movie just doesn't really have a whole lot going on for it and none of the performances really stood out at all to me and with such a stacked cast it's disappointing to say that I felt like nobody knew what they were doing with the characters they had in this film. The movie also attempts to make lots of comedic jokes which don't land for the majority of the film and end up leaving the audience in just cringe in a sense and there's some jokes which do land but it's very rare for this film. I also didn't even realize Hans Zimmer did the score for this film and that is blowing my mind because I felt like there's barley any music used in this film and when it was used it's solid but I just didn't expect it to be from Hans Zimmer. The cinematography is also decent and there's some decent shots throughout the movie but there's just not a whole lot going here overall and I personally would recommend to skip this movie.

LIKES: The Acting Mostly The Middle Part Of The Movie The Comedy To A Degree The Spiritual Tone Of The Movie The Secondary Story Of The Movie Marge Simpson's Actress Is Fun Summary: A movie like this does well with its acting, and for the most part, Ella McKay relies heavily on its cast to make the world come to life. For me, the movie's top cast of Mackey Nanjiani, Spike Fearn, and Julie Kavner are the champions who did the most for this movie. McKay is a complex array of emotions with an avatar that is relatable on many facets of life. Overwhelmed, complex, smart, and yet vulnerable, she is a character you aspire to be with how things came together to latch onto. Nanjiani plays his usual self, but the nice twist into the movie shows those elements like The Intern did, sweet moments that I love to watch. Fearn is odd and conveys anxiety disorder well to the point of scary accuracy. I loved watching his evolution and story evolve into something enjoyable and endearing to see. As for Kavner, hearing Marge narrate was a blast, with her delivery that blunt, scratchy logic that you fell in love with on The Simpsons. These actors run well together with the material, finding their footholds to make things very fun, especially in the middle part of the movie, where the setup starts to pay off. Things start to move, tension starts to arise, and we start to move toward a purpose, and this is where the movie starts to find its track of social justice, hard work, and balancing work and life with your family. These relatable qualities were powerful for me, and a true acknowledgement of what the human spirit is to face. That spiritual tone is wholesome, a charming and deeper look into the complexity of human characteristics as our world is portrayed in various degrees of symbolism that can serve as a mirror if you choose to deeply reflect.

Yet, the movie isn't just this deep reflection of life and liberty, but has a bit of fun to it as well. While not the slapstick comedy-fest that we have come to expect, and instead relies on a drier comedy style and relevance to get your laughs. Ella McKay is a movie that personal touches go far, but Nanjiani and Kavner are there to help get you laughing. They have their solid deliveries, with sarcasm, blunt delivery, and this rough patch that is not so mean, as just very well-timed and fun. Mackey got some laughs out of me, too. This delivery and choice of words are a wonderful combination that had me giggling with delight, but never getting in the way of her monologues and more sentimental sides. However, I have to admit that it's the secondary story of the movie that pulled me in the most. It's about her brother, and that story is very quirky, but also a relatable one loaded with comedy, movie magic, and a relationship that feels less Hollywood cheesiness and a bit more authentic and fun. It held so much potential, and I wished that story had been pursued more, which may have kept things moving, fun, and a bit more on point, with a more meaningful ending.

DISLIKES Boring/Slow The Lack of Judgment/Intelligence Opening Movie Is Jumbled/Slow Lacks The Compelling Movie Magic Pacing Is Mundane Contrived Plot An Ending That Is Nice, But Very Underwhelming Summary: Where the movie fails for me is in its execution of these quirky elements, particularly in trying to mash reality and movie elements together. Ella McKay is a tad boring and slow, the first part in particular feeling jumbled, inconsistent, and filled with plenty of setup to get the background information built. Alas, the buildup starts to pay off in the middle, but it's here that the movie starts to struggle with some of the logic they spent the first hour building. Ella is brilliant, logical, and has a great heart, but somehow most of that is sort of shirked to the side in ways that don't add up to the logic or levels I anticipate. I get that's the point of the movie, but the film starts to approach soap levels of contrived plot points, absences in judgment, conveniences that happen to just work out, and a lot of overdramatic fluff that doesn't work for viewers like me. It gets a bit bloated, and the overemotional ranting gets stale and in the way of the plots you think are going to drop the hammer, but don't in the end. This mundane pacing and unconventional storytelling start to work together to distract the movie, and this makes the trek a bit boring to watch as we trek through this hybrid journey of family and work. The two plots don't have enough time to work together, leading to each having a decent amount of screentime, but never really capitalizing on it. Without the captivating movie magic, or at least some obstacle that felt legitimate, as we took this struggle and built it to a grand finale. Alas, that wasn't the case, and this film started to unravel as we got to the end, where everything sort of frayed out into mediocre strands. Curtis' utilization was mundane and detailed to these odd comedic bits that felt very TikTok-inspired. Harrelson's character is this odd tag-along that is leeching life from the film in an attempt to add stakes, emotional growth, or some display of power, but felt rather lackluster and oddly etched in. And the ending itself has such brash pacing with a climax that never peaks, and a solution that feels somewhat honorable, but so below the final shot splendor I've seen in so many movies, despite how nice it seems.

The VERDICT: Ella McKay is a great movie that tries to capture real-life and campy comedy into a drama that will inspire, be thoughtful, and kind of find a relevant niche for you to latch onto. With compelling acting at times, some well-tied comedy, and a focus on some spiritual and amazing themes, I found the movie accomplishing some goals, primarily in the middle portion of the film. I loved the side story of the brother and think that, in some ways, there is some class injected into the movie that very much emphasizes the awkward tale. Yet, the movie seems torn between these worlds too much, and lacks the time to properly flesh out all the characters, plots, and messages they wanted to tell. It's not the worst movie, but the film's pacing inconsistencies and slow build-up don't help the entertainment aspect outside of those who find relevance to relate to. With contrived plots and an underwhelming finish, Ella McKay kind of feels like a movie best left to an Amazon stream than a theater visit. My final scores for this film:

Comedy/Drama: 6.0 Movie Overall: 5.0.

The movie is a hot mess that starts out slow with no truly likeable characters accept for her driver. Ella is so self-righteous its annoying. The rest of the cast where pretty much unnecessary. The ending while predictable was better the the first half of the movie. If you want to see wait until its on a streaming service.

I loved this quite a bit, it felt so smooth quite impressive that James L. Brooks was born in 1937 and still active! There was some great moments, very cozy movie I kinda understand the hate some of it was awkward but fairly enjoyable and wonderful cast. Probably won't last in the theater long but I loved it and would recommend.

Looking at the cast, I went in with modest optimism...maybe a solid 6 out of 10. I expected a sweet, easy holiday rom-com that required little more than popcorn and suspension of disbelief. Instead, what I got was an awkward, tonally confused mess that mistook cringe for charm and randomness for humor. The pacing dragged, the emotional beats never landed, and by the end it felt like a complete waste of 90 minutes of my life. At least the popcorn was good.

Not too good or bad movie, awkward on the script but still watchable movie! Watched the trailer in cinema thought it gonna be ok but shocked by the rating when ready to watch!

Ella McCay is a film that looks like a political satire on the surface but operates far more comfortably as a character-driven comedy about discomfort, performance, and the exhausting mechanics of modern public life. Directed by James L. Brooks, the film does not aim to dismantle political systems or expose deep conspiracies. Instead, it narrows its focus to the human being inside the suit, the awkward silences behind press conferences, and the emotional compromises required to survive leadership in an age where sincerity and spectacle are constantly at odds.

The story centers on Ella McCay, a newly appointed U. S. senator who unexpectedly finds herself propelled into national prominence. Rather than depicting a meteoric rise fueled by confidence and strategic brilliance, the film frames Ella's ascent as deeply uncomfortable and slightly absurd. She is competent but unsure, intelligent but emotionally unguarded, and constantly aware that she is being watched, evaluated, and judged. The narrative follows her early months in office as she struggles to balance policy responsibilities, public image, and her own personal relationships, all while navigating a political culture that rewards certainty even when it is hollow.

Plot-wise, Ella McCay is intentionally loose. There is no single legislative battle driving the story forward, nor a traditional antagonist working against Ella. Instead, the tension emerges from accumulation: meetings that go poorly, interviews that spiral out of control, moments of vulnerability that become liabilities rather than strengths. The film progresses through episodic encounters-staff briefings, donor events, family dinners, media appearances-each revealing another layer of Ella's growing unease. This structure mirrors real political life more closely than conventional dramas, where the grind itself becomes the conflict.

Ella McCay, as a character, is written with deliberate contradiction. She is articulate yet prone to rambling, passionate yet visibly uncomfortable with performative conviction. She believes in the importance of public service but recoils at the emptiness of political theater. Her defining trait is not ambition but reluctance-a sense that she has been pushed forward faster than she can emotionally process. This reluctance becomes the film's emotional core, distinguishing Ella from the confident archetypes that dominate political cinema.

Supporting characters orbit Ella like gravitational forces, each representing a different expectation placed upon her. Her advisors view her as a brand that needs refinement. Her colleagues treat her alternately as a symbol and a liability. Family members struggle to reconcile the private Ella they know with the public figure she has become. These relationships are not exaggerated into caricature; they remain grounded, often awkward, and painfully recognizable. Conversations feel messy and unfinished, reinforcing the film's interest in realism over punchlines.

One of the film's most notable traits is its tonal restraint. While marketed as a comedy, Ella McCay rarely aims for big laughs. Humor arises from discomfort, miscommunication, and the gap between intention and perception. Scenes stretch slightly longer than expected, allowing silence and hesitation to become part of the joke. This approach will resonate with viewers who appreciate cringe-based humor, but may frustrate those expecting sharper satire or faster pacing.

Thematically, Ella McCay explores the cost of visibility. Ella's struggle is not about ideology but about exposure-the realization that every word, gesture, and pause is now subject to interpretation. The film suggests that modern politics demands constant performance, leaving little room for uncertainty or growth. Ella's inability to fully adapt to this environment is portrayed neither as a flaw nor a virtue, but as a human response to an inhuman system.

Another key theme is gendered expectation. Without overtly announcing its intentions, the film consistently highlights how Ella's behavior is scrutinized differently from her male counterparts. Confidence is perceived as arrogance, hesitation as weakness, and emotional honesty as instability. Rather than framing this as overt injustice, the film lets these dynamics emerge organically through interactions, making them more unsettling and believable.

Cinematography reinforces the film's intimate perspective. The camera often stays close to Ella, favoring medium shots and subtle framing that emphasize facial expression and body language. Large political spaces-chambers, press rooms, banquet halls-are shot in ways that feel oddly claustrophobic, underscoring Ella's sense of being trapped within expectation. The visual style is understated, avoiding flashy compositions in favor of quiet observation.

Lighting is naturalistic, almost muted, contributing to the film's grounded tone. There is little visual distinction between public and private spaces, suggesting that Ella never truly escapes scrutiny. Editing favors long takes, allowing conversations to breathe and occasionally stall. This pacing choice reinforces authenticity but also contributes to the film's divisive reception; patience is required, and not always rewarded with narrative payoff.

In evaluating the film's strengths, its commitment to character realism stands out most. Ella McCay feels emotionally honest, capturing the exhaustion and uncertainty of leadership without resorting to melodrama. Performances are restrained, allowing awkwardness and vulnerability to exist without apology. The dialogue, while sometimes meandering, feels lived-in and true to the rhythms of real conversation.

However, these same qualities also form the film's weaknesses. The lack of narrative momentum can make the film feel aimless. Some scenes linger without delivering new insight, and the central conflicts remain diffuse rather than sharply defined. Viewers seeking clear political commentary or decisive character arcs may find the film unsatisfying. Additionally, the humor's reliance on discomfort and repetition risks diminishing returns over time.

From a neutral perspective, Ella McCay succeeds less as a political film and more as a human one. It is not interested in changing minds or exposing systems, but in sitting with uncertainty and awkwardness. Its refusal to offer easy resolutions or inspirational conclusions may alienate some audiences, but it also gives the film a quiet integrity.

In conclusion, Ella McCay is a modest, introspective comedy that finds its voice in hesitation rather than declaration. It portrays leadership not as triumph but as endurance, and public service as a constant negotiation between self and expectation. While uneven in pacing and limited in scope, it offers a thoughtful, grounded look at the emotional cost of visibility. Viewed without expectation of spectacle or satire, Ella McCay stands as a gently uncomfortable reflection on power, performance, and the very human fear of being seen.

Bright spot Albert Brooks, otherwise I disliked this and the rest of the cast as much as one possibly could in the short time I spent with it. It's like everyone here owed someone money or their soul. Saw this because Brooks. Both James L. And Albert, left irritated and irrationally angry. I thought this fluff was supposed to make you feel good? Hard 3.5 for competency and Brooks. If you must... than you must wait for streaming and hopefully a truly free streamer. Like YouTube or Tubi.

This 7 star rating does not reflect my perceived quality of this film, rather the amount of fun I had watching it. The movie had a wide range in the quality of performances, sometimes impressive, sometimes almost laughable. The plot is all over the place, and has several significant holes. Motivations for these characters are ridiculous at times. The timing and pacing and theming are all over the place. The plentiful jokes get a genuine laugh about 30% of the time.

Despite all this my girlfriend and I found ourselves laughing consistently, even if it might not have been what the director intended our reactions to be. This movie's ability to devolve into chaos and throw the unexpected at you makes it genuinely interesting. At times it fits into one of my favorite genres, the classic "so bad it's good". The scene with Ayo Edebiri felt like a fever dream in the best way.

The director James L. Brooks directed some rom-com hits in the 90s, created a famous flop with the very expensive How Do You Know in 2010, and has not been trusted to make a movie since. This movie feels like a rom com from the early 2000s was thrown in the blender. As likely the last work of this 85 year old writer and director, if I had the chance to tell him my experience with this movie it would be to say that you created something my girlfriend and I enjoyed, both during the movie and discussing it afterwards. For myself it briefly brought me back to a time when rom com movies like this were regularly in theaters. That made the watch worth it.

Ella McCay attempts to be a sharp political comedy, but despite having the star power of Jamie Lee Curtis and Woody Harrelson, the film struggles to deliver a fully engaging experience. Curtis, known for her comedic timing and dramatic versatility, carries the movie with charm and effort, but the screenplay consistently undermines her performance. Her portrayal of a woman navigating political ambition, family issues, and public scrutiny is solid, yet the film's tone is uneven, oscillating between exaggerated comedy and forced dramatic beats, leaving the viewer uncertain how to engage with the story.

Woody Harrelson's presence adds occasional levity, but his character often feels underdeveloped and serves mainly as a foil to Curtis rather than a fully realized supporting role. The interplay between the two leads has moments of genuine chemistry, but these are sporadic and cannot fully counterbalance the inconsistent storytelling.

The film's plot relies heavily on over-the-top scenarios, including corgi antics, domestic conflicts, and political one-liners. While these moments occasionally elicit a chuckle, they feel engineered rather than organically funny. The comedic timing is uneven, and the attempts at satirical political commentary are undercooked, giving the impression that the audience is being nudged toward laughter rather than invited into it.

Structurally, the screenplay suffers from pacing issues. Scenes often linger unnecessarily or rush through critical character beats, preventing meaningful development. Characters beyond Curtis and Harrelson are largely sidelined, and the narrative sometimes feels more like a sequence of sketches than a cohesive story. These flaws make it difficult for the audience to invest emotionally in the central storyline or care about the stakes being presented.

Visually, the film is competent but unremarkable. Cinematography and production design do their jobs without elevating the material, and the editing sometimes exacerbates the pacing issues, leaving certain scenes feeling flat or disjointed. Even moments intended to showcase Curtis's comedic brilliance are hampered by the lack of narrative support and structural cohesion.

Ultimately, Ella McCay is a film that relies heavily on the charisma of its lead actors, particularly Jamie Lee Curtis, to hold it together. While Curtis's performance is commendable and Harrelson provides sporadic levity, the forced humor, underdeveloped supporting characters, and inconsistent pacing prevent the movie from reaching its potential. It works best as a casual, at-home viewing experience for those willing to forgive its shortcomings, but it falls short of being a memorable or fully satisfying political comedy.

It's a political comedy-drama set in 1992 and 2008 in an unnamed American state. The story's center is Ella McCay (Emma Mackey), a 34-year-old lieutenant governor who has always been an overachieving policy wonk. She is married to Ryan Newell (Jack Lowden), the heir to a regional pizza chain with questionable ethics. Ella and Ryan were high school sweethearts, and the flashbacks are to Ella's senior year in high school. Ella is estranged from her womanizer father, Eddie (Woody Harrelson), whose behavior ends in the suicide of her mother (Rebecca Hall). Ella does relate closely to her Aunt Helen (Jamie Lee Curtis). Ella's younger brother, Casey (Lincoln Whitty/Kellen Raffaelo/Spike Fearn), is a computer wizard who has difficulty facing the world.

Ella becomes governor when Governor Bill (Albert Brooks) is appointed to a cabinet position in Washington. The story follows Ella's experiences related to her father's desire to reconcile, her husband's desire for a significant political role, her political party's frustration with her wonkiness, and her brother's desire to resurrect an old relationship with Susan (Ayo Edebiri).

"Ella McCay" is disjointed with some subthemes and undeveloped relationships that don't help the film's flow. Jamie Lee Curtis and Spike Fearn have the best, most interesting roles. Emma Mackey is OK, but doesn't match Curtis. Harrelson's role isn't developed enough to make a lasting impact. But I was hooked by the Casey character, with whom I could relate. That's what bumped my rating up to seven.

They say, if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all.

I'll say this. The acting is good (that's the five stars). Ella Mackey (I'm sure the name is just a coincidence) is very likeable as the politically inept lieutenant governor thrust into the governor's seat, just likeable enough for the audience to feel for her (and this could have gone south really quick). You feel sorry for her because everyone seems to be gunning for her, except Julie Kavner (her secretary) who is nothing but helpful (the way Marge Simpson would be), Kumail Nanjianji as her sympathetic driver, and an excellent Jamie Lee Curtis as her loving aunt. The rest of the cast is passable and fit their roles just fine, including a wasted Woody Harrelson as Ella's philandering, narcissistic father.

That's about all I can say in keeping with my first statement. So I won't keep with it.

The movie is cute. It's (very) light entertainment, although there was plenty else playing the night I saw it that I would rather have spent my time on.

Otherwise it's kind of a mess. This could have passed as a Netflix or Hulu original, or even a Hallmark movie (where Ella ends up with the driver - that would have been fun as a romcom). But as a full $13/ticket movie, nope.

The plot is silly. The motivation for Ella's husbands actions make no sense (there are so many plot holes and unexplained events in other areas of the movie as well.) And then there's a side story of Ella's brother's failed romance that just doesn't fit other than to show the closeness of the siblings and the brother's social awkwardness as a counterpart to Ella's political ineptness.

There's a kind of an almost satisfying up yours moment towards the end and a happy ending of sorts.

All in all, everything about this is just sort of, kind of, almost, and not enough, and I think this one fails as a movie.

I read the ratings before I booked and wasn't sure if it was for me but to fair these been allot of junk movies lately and though one more isn't going to hurt so I used my unlimited card and went to see it, well I thoroughly enjoyed , yeah it could have been better, many movies can but for you me I glad I went along , worth a try.

The story isnt great, but it still was a cool direction it guess. Meaning I like where she got and the heart she brought with it. However the build up of the story and with the family was very lack luster. They gave a main narrative and then the brought it forward and let you peice together the story. Interesting way of doing it but it was heartwarming in the end i guess.

Watched at AMC on 12-22-2025.

Huge fail with poor acting, boring script, and pointless arc. Haven't seen a movie this boring in awhile. Walked out during preview Wednesday night.

Story about a misfit woman who lucks into governorship. Everything around her is failed from family history, to marriage, to policies. That's all you need to know.

Was surprised about lack of energy from cast. The script needed more energy. I was looking forward to a new movie by Brooks.

I guess I loved his past movies I was hoping for more.

Brooks is still revered as a movie giant. We appreciate his talent.

Brooks reminds me of a warm sweet uncle. Sincere in his efforts to please an audience.

Everyone is trying really hard. The only arc that worked for me was the one with Casey and Susan. Only one laugh and Jamie Lee Curtis is the only one whose comic timing worked. I wanted to like it so much but it seemed to keep falling flat again and again. And literally nobody was laughing at the cinema besides the one laugh I got. So it was not just me. It could've been so much better, it kept seeming like it had potential but it never got realized. Several times I found myself reaching for the remote to skip over the boring bits but alas I was in the theatre. Had to talk myself into not walking out.