The feature film adaptation of the musical about a teenager from Sheffield, England who wants to be a drag queen.
Jamie New (Max Harwood) is a teenager who has found his passion in being a drag queen. He does what he can in the small town of Sheffield to discover his inner drag queen as he navigates life between his neglectful father Wayne (Ralph Ineson), a loving mother, Margaret (Sarah Lancashire), and a judgmental school.
Overall, “Everybody’s Talking About Jamie,” tells a heartwarming and courageous story about growing up and discovering oneself. Even the lead, Jamie, makes for a character you can get behind and invest in. It’s the overall package that is the movie is presented in that feels disconnected.
The musical numbers always felt like a music video from the film’s soundtrack squeezed in between scenes. The sudden change in tone really takes you out of what is a compelling and emotional story about this young boy discovering himself. That’s not to say that the musical numbers weren’t amazing on their own. The choreography is eye-catching and the music is memorable at the least. Yet it’s these fantastical elements in the numbers that feel like a separate piece from the movie.
I found myself wanting to return to the casual dialogue of the film where most of the story was told and flowed rather than stopping from a number that doubles down on an idea rather than continuing to tell the story. Going into the latter half of the film the musical numbers began to feel more coherent with the overall tone. The addition of Richard E. Grants’ Hugo Battersby/ Loco Chanelle was a welcome joy to have on-screen, mentoring Jamie in drag queening.
Jamie’s familial dynamic between his parents really carries the emotional weight of the story. The proxy relationship Jamie has with his father through his mother really brings a rich and complex set of problems to face. The cold reality Jamie must face when confronting not only the neglect but the reason for his father’s absence really exemplifies the strength and determination he finds in drag.
I really did enjoy the film, but the story (in this iteration) seems to lend itself more preferably to the stage rather than the screen. “Everybody’s Talking About Jamie” covers all the bases in telling a compelling story but the execution on balance between musicality and film falls short.
Now playing in Select Theaters and streaming globally
on Amazon Prime Video Friday, September 17th
