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Tell Others About This Page By Using This Button "BEING JULIA" (2004) (Annette Bening, Jeremy Irons) (R) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons Moderate None Moderate None None Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Mild None None Minor Mild Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence Extreme Moderate Mild Moderate Minor QUICK TAKE: Drama: A middle-aged stage actress of the 1930s deals with a midlife crisis by having an affair with a younger man, all while keeping a wary eye on an up and coming actress who could end up replacing her. PLOT: It's 1938 and Julia Lambert (ANNETTE BENING) is a middle-aged but still highly acclaimed London stage actress. With the help of her husband and theatrical director Michael Gosselyn (JEREMY IRONS), financier Dolly De Vries (MIRIAM MARGOLYES) and personal assistant Evie (JULIET STEVENSON), she would seem to have it all, yet she's bored with her personal and professional life, suffering from both burn-out and a midlife crisis. When her close friend Lord Charles (BRUCE GREENWOOD) cuts off any potential romance as he wants to put some distance between them to avoid any potential rumors of an affair, she turns to young Tom Fennel (SHAUN EVANS). He's an American who claims he's her biggest fan and it's not long before they are having an affair. That new passion put some spark back into her life and she's suddenly infused with enthusiasm about mounting a new stage production. Yet, when Tom's attention turns to young actress Avice Crichton (LUCY PUNCH), Julia is thrown for a loop once again as she's fallen head over heals for him. With ghostly or imagined advice from her long-dead theatrical mentor Jimmie Langton (MICHAEL GAMBON) and some honest talk from her adult son Roger (TOM STURRIDGE) regarding her blurred personal and stage personalities, Julia tries to get her life back on track. And when she senses that forces might be conspiring to replace her with Avice, the seasoned actress sets out to maintain the status quo as only she can. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? Unless they're fans of films about the theater and/or anyone who appears in this effort, it doesn't seem too likely. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R For some sexuality. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: ANNETTE BENING plays a successful actress who's going through a personal and professional mid-life crisis. Bored with her life and work, she finds passion for both in the form of Tom with whom she has an affair. She uses some profanity, drinks, and must deal with his dealings with her as well as young upstart Avice who threatens to steal Julia's thunder. JEREMY IRONS plays her husband and theatrical director who smokes and is happy with anything she does personally as long as it translates to good work on the stage. It's reported that he's having a fling with Avice, but we don't know that for sure. SHAUN EVANS plays a young American who sweeps Julia off her feet and into bed, but then also beds Avice as he appears to have ulterior motives in his dealings with Julia. He also smokes. BRUCE GREENWOOD plays Julia's close friend who wants to put some distance between them to avert any possible rumors of something occurring between them (and he later reveals he's gay anyway). MIRIAM MARGOLYES plays Julia and Michael's financier. JULIET STEVENSON plays Julia's personal assistant. LUCY PUNCH plays the young and aspiring actress who sleeps with Tom in an apparent effort to get him to persuade Julia to help her career. MICHAEL GAMBON plays Julia's theater mentor who coaches her from beyond the grave about personal and professional matters. TOM STURRIDGE plays Julia's son who sees through his mom's stagy persona as well as Tom's behavior. He also reports that he lost his virginity in a one-night stand. CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit? Then read OUR TAKE of this film. (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below). OUR WORD TO PARENTS: Here's a quick look at the content found in this light drama that's been rated R. Profanity consists of at least 2 "s" words, while other mild expletives and colorful phrases are uttered. Several instances of sexually related dialogue are present (including a young adult son telling his mother he just lost his virginity), two sexual encounters are partially seen (with nudity, movement and sounds) and others occur off-screen or are suggested. Various characters drink and/or smoke, while some bad attitudes are present (including an observed and reported affair, although it's stated that the couple's marriage is open to such matters). A woman slaps a man and a person angrily throws a drinking glass into a fireplace. Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to look more closely at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE Julia states that she loves beer. Miscellaneous people have drinks. Lord Charles orders some champagne, with Julia saying she prefers beer but will have some of the bubbly. Tom and Julia have drinks where others also drink. Tom and Julia have drinks. Michael, Evie and Dolly have champagne while Julia has a beer. Julia and Michael have wine with dinner. Various people have drinks. More people drink and Julia tells Roger that he and Tom have had too much to drive into town (Roger says that Tom hasn't and will be driving). A comment is made about "Gin sodden whores." Julia and Tom have drinks. Michael has a drink. We see a glass of wine or something similar on a bed stand next to Julia. A playwright asks Michael if he has some whiskey handy and we later see him drink some and acting somewhat inebriated (or just nervous and clumsy about his play opening). Miscellaneous people have drinks. Miscellaneous people have drinks, while Julia orders and then drinks a beer. BLOOD/GORE None. DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE Julia initially has somewhat of an elitist and condescending attitude toward others. Julia makes a double entendre about a vet coming to an old acquaintance's house to treat the "bitches" (dogs/women) there. Julia lies to Michael about Tom (with whom she's having an affair) and Roger later tells his mom that Michael is having a fling with Avice, but earlier Michael states that he and Julia are not possessive and that they're a very modern couple (referring to their open marriage). It appears that Tom gets Julia to fall for him for his own gains (she pays his debts) and then to get her to help Avice's budding acting career. Julia abruptly changes a play's direction (and dialogue) on opening night to make Avice look bad on stage. FRIGHTENING SCENES None. GUNS/WEAPONS None. IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "You irritating little sh*t," "Buggers," "Bloody hell," "To hell with," "Bloody," "Last one down's a sissy," "You dirty minded slut," "Bollock," "Devious little runt," "Who the hell do you suppose he is?" "Go to hell" (said playfully), "Little tart," "Whore," "Bloody marvelous," "Damn shame," "I'm such a bloody fool," "Bloody little fool," "Bugger me," "Don't be such a bloody little idiot," "You're a revolting hog," "Gone to hell," "I'm a slut...a rotten bitch," "Oh hell" and "That cow." Julia makes a double entendre about a vet coming to an old acquaintance's house to treat the "bitches" (dogs/women) there. Julia does a bit of charades where she's holding her hands down at her clothed crotch in a suggestive manner (hoping that the men and women guessing will equate "willie" to "winky" and get the answer). A comment is made about "Gin sodden whores." JUMP SCENES None. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) None. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) A performed song has a line about more thrill from champagne than beer. PROFANITY At least 2 "s" words, 1 slang term for sex ("doing it"), 1 slang term using male genitals ("willie" and another possible one: "pr*ck"), 10 hells, 3 variations of "bugger," 3 damns, 1 "bollock," 5 uses of "God," 4 of "For Christ's sakes," 2 each of "Christ," "My God" and "Oh my God" and 1 use each of "Dear God," "For God's sakes" and "Oh God." SEX/NUDITY We see Julia's bare back as she's getting a massage (from a woman). Tom suddenly embraces Julia and passionately kisses her, standing and then seated on a bed (both are clothed). She does the same back, but then breaks it off and leaves, although she likes the idea of what's happened. Jimmie talks to Julia about the above encounter with Tom, stating something about her being a virgin and that she should go back to her room, spread her legs and ask him (Tom) to "give it to you hot, sweet and strong." After Julia asks Tom if he wants to get on (meaning something nonsexual), he replies that he wants to "get on you" and then adds, "I want you." We see Tom and Julia playfully rolling around on a bed and eventually rolling off it, landing on the floor. We then see his bare butt as he's between her legs (she's in a slip or nightgown but we don't see them having sex). We see Julia and Tom in bed, under the covers and presumably after sex (they're just talking but we see some of her cleavage as well as part of her breast through her nightgown/slip that's partially see-through). A modern art style painting shows a large, nude woman, but nothing explicit is seen. Michael tells Dolly that sex doesn't mean much to Julia. Tom and Julia do some brief, passionate kissing. Julia does a bit of charades where she's holding her hands down at her clothed crotch in a suggestive manner (hoping that the men and women guessing will equate "willie" to "winky" and get the answer). Roger states that he and Tom are going to go down to the local pub and check out the local talent (meaning women) and Michael makes a hand gesture for breasts. A comment is made about "Gin sodden whores." Roger confesses to his mom that he and Tom picked up some girls and then implies that he lost his virginity. He states that he doesn't know what all of the fuss is about and that he didn't enjoy it very much. Tom kisses Julia on a couch, gets on top of her and does the same and then down her chest (both are clothed). Evie states about men that they "can't keep it in their trousers." We hear sounds of a sexual encounter as a camera pans across a room to reveal an out of focus shot of a couple having sex on a bed. The focus then sharpens and we see a torso and up shot of Tom on top of a woman with movement and related sounds from both (and just his bare back). Moments later, we see that it's Avice and not Julia and she asks Tom (as both are in bed under the covers -- we see the top of her bare chest) -- if he's "doing it" with Julia. He says he isn't as she's old enough to be his mother. After Julia makes a snide remark about blonde hair, Tom says that Avice's is natural, prompting Julia to ask him how he knows. Julia asks Tom if he's been to bed with Avice and he replies that he hasn't, prompting Julia to ask why not. Julia states that she likes going to bed with Tom and likes the idea that he might feel the same. Julia tries to kiss Lord Charles but he stops her, stating that he plays "for the other side" (meaning he's gay and the two get a laugh over that). Roger tells his mom that Michael is having a fling with Avice. We see Julia finishing getting dressed at Tom's place (he's sitting on the edge of the bed in a dress shirt and boxers), presumably after they've had sex for old time's sakes. We see Avice in her bra and slip as she gets dressed for the play. Michael runs his hand along her back and neck as she bends over to sign a contract. Julia delivers lines in a play about Avice's character seeing both a young man and an older, married one as metaphors. She also mentions trying to having something on the side and then drops a double entendre about always finding it very uncomfortable on the side. SMOKING Michael smokes more than five times (mostly with a pipe, but once with a cigarette, while he has an unlit pipe in his mouth in several scenes), Tom smokes a few times and there's some miscellaneous smoking. TENSE FAMILY SCENES Julia lies to Michael about Tom (with whom she's having an affair) and Roger later tells his mom that Michael is having a fling with Avice, but earlier Michael states that he and Julia are not possessive and that they're a very modern couple (referring to their open marriage). TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT Actors/Actresses. The blurring between public/professional and personal lives. Michael states that he and Julia are not possessive and that they're a very modern couple (referring to their open marriage). Roger confesses to his mom that he and Tom picked up some girls and then implies that he lost his virginity. He states that he doesn't know what all of the fuss is about and that he didn't enjoy it very much. Julia tries to kiss Lord Charles but he stops her, stating that he plays "for the other side" (meaning he's gay and the two get a laugh over that). VIOLENCE Tom throws his drink glass into a fireplace in anger. Julia slaps Michael on the face. Reviewed October 25, 2004 / Posted October 29, 2004

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