A filmmaker with the kind of storied history James L. Brooks has, shouldn’t go out on a film as dreadful as How Do You Know. Fifteen years after that career low rom-com, Brooks is back with a new film. Ella McCay stars Emma Mackey, Jamie Lee Curtis, Woody Harrelson, Spike Fearn, Ayo Edebiri, Albert Brooks, Jack Lowden, Rebecca Hall, Kumail Nanjiani, and Julie Kavner, so the casting shouldn’t be the problem. Then again, for a veteran filmmaker who was integral to American comedies in the ’80s and ’90s, star power is never an issue. Keeping up with the changing times, however, is.
Here’s the synopsis for Ella McCay: An idealistic young woman juggles her family and work life in a comedy about the people you love and how to survive them.
Looks relatively harmless, but also a bit dated, which was the problem with How Do You Know, a rom-com that was years past its expiration date. Prior to that, Brooks was one of the most prominent filmmakers on the American comedy scene with Broadcast News, Terms of Endearment, As Good As It Gets, and I’ll Do Anything. He was also the creator behind some of the most important TV shows in history, such as Rhoda, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Taxi, and The Tracey Ullman Show.
In short, Brooks is capable of something great. It’s just been a while since we’ve seen that from him. Perhaps Ella McCay will change that when it hits theaters on December 12th from 20th Century Studios.
