Film: Ella McCay [2025] – Emma Mackey, Jamie Lee Curtis

Ella McCay is a world in which people make one baffling, unbelievable choice after another, but I loved being there regardless.

Starring Emma Mackey, Jamie Lee Curtis, and others, this is a traditional early 2000s dramady film that is so light, you can watch it as a background noise. However, it also packs a punch about making the wrong choices, and their consequences.

Warm, old-fashioned and uneven, the film recalls writer and director James L. Brooks at his most sentimental. While the film takes a poke at politics and though set almost twenty years ago, it rings a bell in today’s political world.

Thing is, a strong cast and flashes of sharp dialogue can’t fully overcome its scattered narrative, but it remains an endearing, if flawed, adult dramedy. Is this a film about how parents make mistakes? Women in politics? A romance? A comedy? who knows.

All in all, despite what you might have heard, or understood from this review, James L. Brooks didn’t fully miss and has crafted another funny, witty and lovely film anchored by great performances.

Ignore the hate and enjoy. Nothing is perfect.

Should You Watch It?

While the film doesn’t really find its identity or footing throughout its runtime, it’s still a very enjoyable watch that gives a lot of nostalgia to the early 2000s romantic comedies, but with a modern vibe.

Where Can I Watch It?

You can stream Ella McCay on Disney+ everywhere.