We haven’t heard from writer-director James L. Brooks for a while.  He has some classics in his past — Broadcast News, Terms of Endearment, As Good as it Gets — but he also has Spanglish and How Do You Know, both of which were misfires.  Sadly, his latest joins that latter group, despite a nice, bold performance from Jamie Lee Curtis in a supporting role.

James Brooks’ tale centers on the title lady (Emma Mackey), a lieutenant governor who finds herself thrust into her state’s leading political role just as her personal life begins to unravel.  Her husband (Jack Lowden) wants glory, her father (Woody Harrelson) wants forgiveness and her brother (Spike Fearn) just wants to be left alone.  Of these familial situations, Ella chooses to aid her brother and ignore the others, which leads to betrayal and political chaos.  Can she weather the storm and fulfill her gubernatorial dreams?

An intriguing premise is undone by the script’s strident feminism (I’m not sure how else to describe a scenario where all the men are dolts and all the women are heroines).  It’s one thing to promote and celebrate female characters but this script is so one-sex-sided that it cannot be taken seriously.  The political shenanigans are silly, yet real enough to be believable, but the cause behind it all is ludicrous.  Also, Ella’s own dogged determination to advance her agenda, though admirable, demonstrates why she is not really suited to be governor, or at least needs serious guidance in the job.

One other issue bothered me a great deal, though it is not at all the movie’s fault.  The character of Casey, the brother, is initially not just standoffish but almost sinister.  I could not help but think of him in terms of Nick Reiner, and that gave me the creeps.  It’s an unfortunate case of timing, certainly, but also the character as written is badly broken, and seems completely out of place in this comic drama.  And the emotional payoff for Casey’s character is not at all convincing; I was afraid for his would-be girlfriend.  Jamie Lee Curtis’ character, the aunt who champions Ella all the way through, is easily the best aspect about this movie, and can be enjoyed even if little else can or should be.  ☆ ☆.  25 December 2025.