 Movie
Reviews
with Evelyn Gough
Being Julia (M)
Directed by Istvan Szabo
 Waiting
patiently on the casting couch... Annette Bening as actress Julia Lambert.
Being the talented actress she is, Annette Bening positively shines in the
title role of actress Julia Lambert, diva of the London West End in the late 1930s,
deservedly scoring a Best Actress Oscar nomination for her performance.
Based on one of W Somerset Maugham's less well-known novellas, Theatre, we
enter stage right as the temperamental Julia (Bening) is suffering from a mid-life
crisis. Despite the fact that she's wowing audiences and packing the theatre every
night she insists her long suffering husband Michael (Jeremy Irons) cancel the
play so that she can take a break.
This all changes when she meets an admirer of hers, American Tom Fennel (Shaun
Evans), a young man barely older then her son (Thomas Sturridge). Their subsequent
affair invigorates Julia: the only problem is she's falling head over heels for
the young American. Does he feel the same way about Julia or could he have an
ulterior motive? One thing's for sure, Julia's no dummy and when practised by
an expert, revenge can be truly sweet.
What a treat for discerning cinema-goers, a comedic romp packed full of fantastic
performances with a delightfully witty script and a terrific soundtrack. Annette
Bening may have missed out on the Oscar but her portrayal of the tough-yet-vulnerable
prima donna is definitely a winner and her co-stars' performances are equally
impressive, amongst them the irrepressible Miriam Margoyles and Michael Gambon.
Thoroughly entertaining!
Rating: 
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