Jessica Lange has the title role as a legendary Broadway actor. While in rehearsals, she starts to have memory issues, which lead the one of today’s most popular subjects: dementia. The production centers around the New York theatre scene (actually shot in Atlanta), but it’s primarily a vehicle for Lange to ACT! And act she does. While she has several masterful moments, after a while the endless opportunities for her to emote get tedious. She’s surrounded by an excellent supporting cast, most notably Kathy Bates as her assistant. Basically, this is a one-note drama that keeps pounding on that one note. Even so, Lange’s dynamic and sometimes moving performance grounds the film. BWT, it’s loosely inspired on the life of theatre legend Marian Seldes, who was the aunt of the screenwriter. 
(2.5 / 5)
