Susan Granger’s review of “Being Julia” (Sony Pictures Classics)
If Annette Bening doesn’t walk off with a Best Actress Oscar nomination, there is no justice! In this starring vehicle, she plays one of the theater’s greatest divas, Julia Lambert, whose artistry dominates London’s West End in the late 1930s. She’s married to a world-weary impresario, Michael (Jeremy Irons), whose vanity exceeds her own; both boast of their open marriage, meaning each can follow a romantic whim. And Julia’s fancy turns to an ardent young American, Tom Fennel (Shaun Evans), who’s barely older than her son (Thomas Sturridge). Problem is: she thinks she’s actually in love with Tom. Thankfully, that angst is short-lived since she discovers he’s cheating on her with an ambitious ingenue (Lucy Punch) who’s eager for a part in Julia’s new play. Fittingly, Julia contrives her own uniquely audacious revenge Based on “Theatre” (1937), one of W. Somerset Maugham’s less-well-known novellas, it has been cleverly adapted by Ron Harwood and astutely directed by Istvan Szabo, who wisely emphasizes the theatricality to minimize the inherent ridiculousness of the May-December romance. One of their most effective devices is having the ghost of Julia’s first acting coach and mentor (Michael Gambon) commenting on her “performance.” Annette Bening captures the elusive tough-but-vulnerable quality that’s necessary to evoke sympathy for this mercurial grande dame, evoking memories of Bette Davis in “All About Eve.” That’s amplified by photographer Lajos Koltai and production designer Luciana Arrighi. Mychael Danna’s period music feeds the comedic romp, producing a terrific soundtrack. On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, “Being Julia” is an exuberant 8, celebrating a giggling actress who is totally in love – with herself.
