Despite earning positive first reactions in advance screenings, Emma Mackey and Jack Lowden’s new movie Ella McCay has landed a savagely low score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Mackey leads the star-studded cast as the titular heroine, an idealistic 34-year-old lieutenant governor in an unnamed US state in 2008.
When the state’s incumbent governor takes a job in the upcoming Obama administration, Ella finds herself with a new gig and bigger responsibilities to take on as she juggles her family life with husband Ryan (Lowden), Aunt Helen (Jamie Lee Curtis) and absent dad Eddie (Woody Harrelson).
Written and directed by James L Brooks, who co-created The Simpsons, Ella McCay is currently at a 22% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes out of 27 reviews. The score may vary after more reviews come in when the film releases on 12 December.
For now, Brooks’ movie has been called a “sloppy slog” (via New York Post) and “the holiday season’s most egregious misfire” (via The Daily Beast).
20th Century Studios
Related: Best streaming services
The Guardian branded it “a sorry mess” and a “baffling misfire”, while The Daily Telegraph argued that the “dreadful film sabotages its all-star cast”.
More positive reviews praised a pleasant quality in the film’s anachronistic storytelling, while other critics remained frustrated with the lack of characterisation.
“Watching Ella McCay can sometimes feel like time travel, particularly for those vested in bygone eras of American filmmaking, but if you’re capable of tuning into its wavelength, an old but worthwhile spirit can be found,” IndieWire noted.
20th Century Studios
The Seattle Times similarly wrote: “It’s not at all unpleasant spending two hours with Ella and her family and colleagues, but it leaves you feeling a little nostalgic for what it could have been.”
AwardsWatch called the film “delightful” in their review, writing: “Despite the intentionally absent details (we aren’t even definitively told what political party Ella belongs to), Ella McCay – both the film and the character – is delightful, at times mystifyingly so.”
Also part of the stacked cast are The Bear’s Ayo Edebiri, Rebecca Hall and Kumail Nanjiani, while Julie Kavner, who famously voices Marge Simpson, stars as Ella’s secretary Estelle and serves as the film’s narrator.
Ella McCay releases in cinemas on 12 December.
Love TV? Get your Christmas viewing sorted with the Good Housekeeping Christmas TV Guide, featuring 14 days of Christmas TV listings, plus everything you need for the ultimate festive viewing experience! Just £4.75 – available now at all good magazine retailers.
Reporter, Digital Spy
Stefania is a freelance writer specialising in TV and movies. After graduating from City University, London, she covered LGBTQ+ news and pursued a career in entertainment journalism, with her work appearing in outlets including Little White Lies, The Skinny, Radio Times and Digital Spy.Â
Her beats are horror films and period dramas, especially if fronted by queer women. She can argue why Scream is the best slasher in four languages (and a half).Â