Review: The Fabelmans

My mother brought a VHS tape home when I was four years old. It was black with a red circle that held the silhouette of a t-rex; it was Jurassic Park. I asked if it was a scary movie, and my mother, hoping to get a bunch of my rowdy cousins to sit down and be quiet, said yes. So, she put the tape in, and as she hoped, my cousins calmed down but started shaking with fear as soon as that t-rex broke out and began to chase after the main characters. Unlike my cousins, I sat wide-eyed, front and center. When she asked if I was too scared to watch, I simply said no. I told her I just wanted to know how they made it.

From that moment on, we would go to the library and rent movies made by Steven Spielberg. I would watch, and I would learn. Eventually, she got me a camera of my own. And later, I would be working in television.

Flash forward years later; I brought my mom to a screening of The Fabelmans. And within the first five minutes, my mom saw a version of me again in a young boy who was young, wide-eyed, and infatuated with film. For me, I got to see a mother’s belief that her kid could do anything. And I’m sure a lot of families will walk away from this movie remembering their dreams and those who helped them along the way. Because, The Fabelmans isn’t just a love letter to film, but it’s a story we can all relate to. A story of family, love, dreams, and art. It’s a story of having a passion and seeing who is in your corner helping you make your dreams come true. It’s a story only Spielberg could tell because no one does it like Spielberg. Plus, it’s semi-autobiographical… so there’s that.

The Fabelmans is a story of a boy, Sam (Gabriel LaBelle), who falls in love with movies after watching The Greatest Show on Earth. His parents thought the scene of a train crashing frightened him. Instead, it intrigues Sam and he spends his time learning the art of filmmaking. His mother (Michelle Williams) is by his side, encouraging his art, while his father (Paul Dano) sees it as more of a hobby. As the movie continues, Sam discovers a shattering family secret and uses his art to see the truth and cope.

Steven Spielberg is a great director. We all know this because you are completely overcome with feelings when you leave the theater after watching one of his films. He sets a tone that plays on every emotion. He creates feelings through camera movements. But most of all, he knows how to tell a story. There’s a little magic that he tends to sprinkle in every frame. He creates wonder and amazement in all of his movies, and The Fabelmans is no exception. Add in a gorgeous score and dazzling performances, and you have a true piece of art.

Michelle Williams is captivating on screen. With a doe-eyed innocence, she encapsulates your heart. I do believe she will once again be surrounded by Oscar buzz. Paul Dano has become one of the most surprising actors of our generation. He can expertly slide from one role into the next, creating a completely different human. Gabriel LaBelle can easily play in the same sandbox with these heavy hitters and will pull at every heartstring creating a perfect melodic performance.

The Fabelmans is able to capture the magic of film. It expertly shows the beauty of art and how it can change a person. But it also tells the story of family. The Spielbergian magic sprinkled throughout this film will play on every emotion, leaving you with a sense of wonder and amazement. Because as I said before, no one tells a story like Steven Spielberg.