Used to presenting us with great stories, Steven Spielberg now wants to take his to the screen. It hits theaters all over Brazil this Thursday (12) The Fabelmansa semi-autobiography by the filmmaker in which he transforms his own childhood memories into cinema — and the result, as it couldn’t be otherwise, is a beautiful tribute not only to the Seventh Art, but also to everything that influenced him in the following years. path.
The feature premiered in the United States last year and was very well acclaimed by both critics and audiences. On Rotten Tomatoes, a site that aggregates the opinion of the specialized press around the world, the film has an impressive average of 91%, which already shows that we have a new classic from the director on the way.
And as much as many people may be bothered by Spielberg’s somewhat self-centered approach to turning his own story into a film, there is no denying his importance within the history of cinema and seeing how his passion is born has its charm.
an almost biography
Although we treat The Fabelmans as a sort of Steven Spielberg autobiography, that’s not entirely true. The core of the story and many of the events are really part of the director’s life, but the feature also takes many poetic liberties, romanticizes some points and creates others to create this great fable around its main character.
Starting with the characters’ names. Even though we’re talking about one of the most famous surnames in cinema, don’t expect to hear it on the lips of the characters. As the title makes clear, the whole plot revolves around another family, the Fabelmans, who carry this fabled characteristic of storytelling already in their name, in a joke that makes everything even more symbolic.
Thus, the film tells Sammy’s story over the years and how he fell in love with cinema and created a relationship with the camera that helped him both overcome personal challenges and also strengthen ties with his own family. And that’s where Spielberg’s memories are most present.
As all promotional material makes a point of highlighting, it is this dynamic between Sammy (played by Mateo Zoryan and Gabriel LaBelle) with his parents and brothers on which the script is based. At first, there is the boy’s enchantment for the big screen and the conflicts of the parents themselves in relation to this. Then we see how the fate of the Fabelmans themselves depends on this cinema.
Michelle Williams and Paul Dano play Sammy’s parents and are centerpieces in these Spielberg memoirs. On the one hand, the mother encourages her son to immerse himself in the world of the arts and follow his dream. On the other hand, the father distrusts the boy’s passion and starts to pressure him not to give up his future because of a hobby — a dilemma in which many people will recognize themselves.
At the same time, the young protagonist discovers a secret within his own family and uses cinema as a way to resolve this issue. In this way, we see how much cameras and the ability to create great stories is something that has always been part of Spielberg’s DNA.
great cast
But it is clear that a film so personal about and by Steven Spielberg himself would also bring some big names to help tell this fable so intimate. So, in addition to the legendary filmmaker directing and scripting the feature, we also have great actors bringing these memories to life.
Paul Dano and Michelle Williams are the main faces that give weight to this cast. They play the parents who centralize the tension of the entire plot and prove to be a fundamental part in the construction of the protagonist and his relationship with cinema. So much so that the trailers show how much the interaction between them tends to be quite exciting.
In addition, there are also names like David Lynch (Twin Peaks), Seth Rogen (The interview) and Judd Hirsch (Uncut Gems). And, as it couldn’t be in a Spielberg project, the soundtrack is signed by his old friend John Williams. The two have had several successful partnerships in the past, including classics like Jurassic Park, ET – The Extraterrestrial, Shark and Schindler’s List.
