"Jimmy", the untold true story of America's most-beloved actor James Stewart (K.J. Apa) and the iconic role that saved him, focuses on the most transformative season in Jimmy Stewart's life--from winning the Academy Award for Best Actor in "The Philadelphia Story" to enlisting and becoming a combat pilot in the U.S. Army Air Corps at the beginning of World War II. He flew 20 missions over Europe, rising to the rank of colonel by the end of the war, only to return home broken and disheartened. Then director Frank Capra (Max Casella) was able to convince him in performing the role of George Bailey in "It's a Wonderful Life" and the rest is film history.
Others to round out the cast are Kara Killmer as Lady Julia Tyndall, Neal McDonough as Alexander, Sarah Drew as Hedda Hopper, Jason Alexander as Louis B. Mayer, Rob Riggle as Colonel Terrill, Julian Works as Second Lieutenant Martinez, Liam Bixby as Tex, Christopher McDonald as Lionel Barrymore, Jemma Donovan as Ginger Rogers and Jen Lilley as Gloria Stewart.
This was directed with cohesiveness and amazing sequencing by Aaron Burns ("Legacy Peak" '22, "Birthright Outlaw" '23). While this filmmaker doesn't have a plethora of experience, what he has has served him well. This was sequenced in a flashback format, and where there could've been some scenes that could potentially be convoluted, this was streamlined with careful delineation.This director will receive more work. It was equally penned well by writer Justin Strawhand ("War Against the Weak" '09, "Birthright Outlaw" '23). As with the director, this filmmaker doesn't have a tremendous amount of experience, however his past writings have served him well. Again, this was filmed as a flashback, and as it starts with James Stewart winning the Oscar for actor for "The Philadelphia Story" then leads to his enlisting for the war effort during World War II, then after the fact, attempting to reenter the film biz again. This writer does have a short that is in post-production if you like his style. K.J. Apa as James Stewart was brilliant in his role where his stature and movements were very much similar to Stewart's body and mannerisms. And kudos to Adam Michael Rose, the Dialect Coach on the production for the coaching Apa received on the tonality of the dialect and tone of Stewart's voice. The film delved a great amount on Stewart's time as a pilot in the Army Air Corps, but did also gravitate on his making of "It's a Wonderful Life" with his friend and collaborator, director Frank Capra.
Certainly, if you're a Jimmy Stewart fan, this will hit a home run, but even if you're not, the acting and directing were consummate. Stewart made 80 films in his career so it would be next to impossible to get all that in a 2 hour running time. "Harvey", 1950 was my favorite film of Stewart's. This was the film about a kindly gentleman who liked his drink whose best friend was an invisible, white, 6-foot rabbit. It was an amazing film."Jimmy" was a film that still covered a lot of territory and was satisfying by film's end.
Out of 4 Stars: 4 Rated: PG-13 120mins.
