The Fablemans

Dr. Skull and I watched The Fabelmans, finally. I was underwhelmed.

As with many of Spielberg's movies, there are great moments. I like the opening scenes about the kid and the movies and his Hanukkah train. I like when they move to California. I like the understated commentary about the gifted pianist mother losing her life to having and raising children -- a price the father, we note, does not pay. He gets four kids and his intriguing, delicious career. Her life is entirely subsumed, and that's just what's supposed to happen. And I liked Judd Hirsh as the crazy uncle.

Sadly, this did not add up to a movie. There's an attempt at a throughline -- we are shown the mother and the father's best friend making eyes at each other, holding hands, and so on; and at the end, the mother ditches her family to follow this friend to Arizona. But really who cares? Yet another story of people trying to decide whether to have an affair or not. Didn't we cover this in Madame Bovary?

There's also the portrait of the filmmaker as a young man. But again, I find it hard to care. His parents and community are endlessly supportive, and his successes come easily. Interestingly, in a book I'm re-reading, Body & Soul, by Frank Conroy, this is also the case -- here, a young pianist gets enormous support from his community, and his successes come easily; but somehow I am still fascinated. I've read this book maybe ten times, and I still love it. What's Spielberg doing wrong, to make me annoyed at his hero instead of interested? I don't know.

The concluding scene, where Sammy (the young filmmaker) meets John Ford, was fun. And I did enjoy seeing a Jewish family at the center of a movie. But on the whole, 6/10, would not watch again.

Afterwards, when Dr. Skull and I were talking about it, I said, "Has Spielberg ever made a really good movie?"

I don't know. E.T., maybe, though I've never rewatched that. Maybe it sucks too.