The Importance of Being Julia

By Charles Mitchell

When Bruce Greenwood took to the stage beside his co-stars for the opening gala film Being Julia at the Toronto International Film Festival I knew I was in for a good movie. Greenwood a long time Atom Egoyan staple, seems unable to make a misstep when it comes to choosing scripts. The Canadian actor gets stuck in a supporting role in this work because Annette Benning who plays, Julie Lambert, stays true to her character in the film and upstages him. Benning recites dialogue with a sardonic bite that recalls Faye Dunaway in Mommie Dearest. Unlike, Dunaway’s overacting however, Benning’s over the top delivery is perfect for a woman who plays a British stage actress in the 30’s and one who seems determined to live every aspect of her personal life like she is still on stage.

The whole joke of the film is that Julia and her friends are unable to separate what’s real and what’s acting, when it comes to the actress’ off-stage life. It appears not even Julia can tell if she’s falling in love with a young fan. But what she can’t deny is the thrill for living that Tom, infuses in her middle-aged existence. However, has an even bigger and better performer than herself taken in the lead actress? When Julia thinks she has Tom or T-O-M figured out, she devises a plan for revenge that’s as twisted and hilarious as it is cathartic.

This genre of comedy doesn’t get much better than this.

May-December romance blooms in Being Julia

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