Review: The Fablemans

When it comes to the world of filmmaking or if we consider the word itself, there is one man who is revered almost unanimously,among the celebrated auteurs to the wannabe filmmakers, as the benchmark or the gold standard of filmmaking and that is none other than Steven Spielberg. There isn't any genre he hasn't attempted or  failed to find success. He is indeed the benchmark of modern filmmaking. He took it upon himself and changed the whole aspect of filmmaking, not just in America but across the world. Almost all of the great directors have tried to tell their story,in  biographical or autobiographical manner. 

Spielberg's latest, "The Fablemans" is his own attempt to a biography. Though fictionalized, we all know the story and journey, a bit too well to not to recognise it. The Fablemans tells the story of a young Jewish boy and his family. Their journey, literally across the country, in pursuit of togetherness, peace and happiness. The film mostly travels through the childhood experiences of Spielberg himsel, from his first taste of movies to the recognition of his dream and meeting one of his idol( John Ford) in a studio. 

The film poses a lot of questions about relationships, parenthood, childhood, friendships, dysfunctional families and their impacts as well as what it means to be "talented" and "artsy" and how far you're willing to risk for it. 

All the actors, especially the young ones ( no idea how Spielberg continues to get the best out of the young actors almost always). It was pleasing to see Paul Dano and Seth Rogen in a Spielberg movie. Michelle Williams has been excellent as usual. The two young boys who played the childhood and teenage version of Sam Fableman, alias Steven Spielberg, were more than brilliant in bringing out the expressions and conveying the emotions. 

One of the beautifully told, satisfactory movie of the year, this is the "Cinema Paradiso" of the present albeit a look back on the childhood of arguably the greatest, most famous director of all time. 

P.S: You'd be able to relate much better and the experience of what you're watching on the screen will be enhanced if you've watched the 2017 documentary, Spielberg, which has been a playbook and a Bible to me personally!