Julianne Moore Thrills in Eisenberg's Surreal The Debut — SkimNews
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- Jesse Eisenberg's third directorial film, The Debut, abandons the grounded realism of his previous two features (When You Finish Saving the World, A Real Pain) for surreal, Charlie Kaufman-inspired territory.
- Julianne Moore stars as Mona, a repressed housewife who auditions for a community theater production of a fictional musical called Nosy Neighbors, in what the review calls one of her most substantial and dynamic film roles in years.
- Paul Giamatti plays Jerry, the theater director whose Stanislavski-esque teachings push Mona toward extremes, transforming the film into a satire of actorly obsession the reviewer likens to Black Swan.
- The Debut is deliberately unrooted in time — mixing 1980s decor with modern clothing and no cellphones — a tonal inconsistency the reviewer says undercuts both the parody and the pathos.
- Eisenberg wrote the original songs for the fictional musical himself, and the review judges them mostly credible as a show that could have once existed on Broadway.
- Moore showcases her singing ability in the film, building on her turn in the Dear Evan Hansen adaptation but with markedly stronger results, according to the review.
- The Debut screened at the Toronto film festival and is set for US cinemas on 11 December, Australia on 25 December, and UK release on 15 January.
Why it matters: Moore lands one of her most substantial dramatic leads in years, while Eisenberg makes an ambitious tonal leap that the review argues only coheres because of his leading lady. For theater fans, the film doubles as a credible portrait of a fictional Broadway-style musical, complete with original songs by the director.
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