Reviews
Ella McCay
There is something painfully ironic about Ella McCay having two standout scenes where Ella drones on and on, sending her audience and colleagues to sleep, because that is exactly what the movie itself is likely to do to anyone who has the misfortune of discovering it at the cinema this weekend. It feels destined to ruin the festive spirit for many and sneak in as a late contender for the top ten worst movies of 2025.
What makes Ella McCay being such a dreadful misfire so surprising is that it comes from James L. Brooks, who was once a genuinely great filmmaker. To see him miss the mark this much on a political satire is something I never would have expected given his tremendous track record. He describes the movie as a comedy, but that might be the most egregious use of the word I have seen all year. The only moment that even came remotely close to a laugh was right at the very end, when Jamie Lee Curtis and Emma Mackey let out gigantic screams, which I can only assume came from pure frustration at the script they were forced to endure.
The movie follows Ella (Emma Mackey) who dreams of creating meaningful change in the political world and suddenly gets the opportunity of a lifetime when Governor Bill (Albert Brooks), is promoted and hands her the role. The story focuses on the three days in the immediate aftermath of the announcement. On the surface that sounds fun and potentially tight, maybe even offering some commentary on female empowerment in politics, something I’m sure most would agree, is definitely needed in today’s world. Instead, we are handed a barrage of pointless and increasingly irritating subplots that drag the film into complete nonsensical slop.
In those three days alone, Ella has to deal with her long-buried daddy issues when her father Eddie (Woody Harrelson), shows up out of nowhere. Her brother Casey (Spike Fearn), has turned into a recluse who has not left the house in over a year after a breakup with his ex-girlfriend Susan (Ayo Edebiri) and these three days are the only time that can apparently be dealt with. And if that wasn’t enough, her husband Ryan (Jack Lowden), wants her to use her position of power so desperately that he is willing to create a political scandal to get what he wants. All of that is without even touching on her aunt Helen (Jamie Lee Curtis), who is completely wasted, or secretary Estelle (Julie Kavner), who narrates the entire movie for reasons that remain a mystery other than the needless handholding of audiences through the more tedious moments, or Nash (Kumail Nanjiani), Ella’s security guard who basically just drives her around.
To be fair, some of these threads could have been interesting, especially Ella’s relationship with her father. The opening goes out of its way to show him as a womaniser even as Ella’s mother was on her deathbed. But as soon as that is set up, the movie drops it until the final act, where Eddie just repeatedly asks for forgiveness. That is genuinely all the payoff we get. I wish I were joking, but that’s the level Ella McCay is at. Although, I did get a small laugh when the credits rolled and I realised all of that build up led absolutely nowhere.
The same problem applies to Casey’s storyline. It is clear he is dealing with some genuinely dark psychological issues after his breakup, something lots of people could relate to and something that could have made for thoughtful commentary. Instead, his problems are magically solved overnight because Ella, high on weed laced cookies, gives him some “stellar” advice. My disappointment was huge, although sadly expected by that point.
But the most ridiculous subplot belongs to Ella’s husband Ryan, who more or less admits he only married her because of the political career she would eventually have. That might have been believable if they had not met in high school. I will spare you the details of the scandal he creates. It is as idiotic as it sounds, and even in a world where the media tries to convince you of almost anything, this still would not pass as remotely believable.
While most of the blame falls squarely on the writing, which is easily one of the worst scripts of the year, the performances do not offer any saving grace. Usually there is at least one actor who manages to elevate terrible material into something memorable or at least mildly entertaining, but that does not happen here. Each performance is as forgettable as the next. More than a few cast members feel like they are phoning it in completely, which is disappointing to see from such a talented group.
Unfortunately, Ella McCay, despite having some promising ideas buried somewhere beneath the chaos, is a tedious and frankly challenging slog to get through. There were moments when I genuinely wished I had gone Christmas shopping instead of subjecting myself to two hours of cinematic misery. The final insult is that this marks my 200th release of 2025, a milestone I should have been able to look back on fondly. Instead, it will go down in infamy as a movie I will absolutely love to hate.
