Ella McCay, written and directed by James Brooks, is the kind of political comedy‑drama that feels like it wandered in from 1995, looked around at 2025, and decided to just be charming instead of edgy. That’s not a complaint. Brooks leans into warmth, mess, and human frailty, staging politics as a family circus rather than a Twitter war. It’s shaggy, uneven, and occasionally too gentle for its own good—but when it clicks, it really clicks. Call it a solid 4 Reels: not a masterpiece, but absolutely the kind of movie you rewatch on a Sunday afternoon and quote under your breath at work.
The story follows Ella McCay (Emma Mackey), an idealistic young woman trying to juggle her chaotic family and demanding work life while preparing to step into the job of her mentor, longtime governor Bill—sorry, Governor Bill—played by Albert Brooks. She’s caught between duty and identity: the pull of public service, the gravitational chaos of the McCay clan, and the question of who she actually wants to be once the dust settles. It’s about succession without the venom and ambition without the body count. The plot doesn’t so much twist as gently wobble, but the emotional throughline—how you survive the people you love—is classic Brooks.
The cast is where the movie really earns its keep. Emma Mackey anchors the whole thing as Ella, sharp and vulnerable in equal measure, never letting the character turn into a saint or a martyr. Jamie Lee Curtis plays Helen McCay, the kind of Aunt who can weaponize concern in under three seconds. Woody Harrelson is Eddie McCay, radiating lovable‑disaster energy, but he’s got serious problems from too many bad habits.
Jack Lowden’s Ryan Newell brings a grounded, quietly funny presence as Ella’s romantic and professional counterweight, while Rebecca Hall’s Claire McCay adds a brittle, lived‑in tension to the family dynamic. Spike Fearn’s Casey McCay and Julie Kavner’s Estelle round out the clan with just the right mix of chaos and comfort. Kumail Nanjiani’s Trooper Nash walks away with more laughs than his screentime should legally allow, turning what could’ve been a throwaway role into a running gag with a pulse.
Honestly, the ensemble chemistry is the movie’s secret sauce; you believe these people have been arguing in the same rooms for years. The banter has that Brooks rhythm—overlapping, neurotic, affectionate—and when it’s humming, it feels like you’ve dropped into a fully functioning world mid‑conversation.
And yes, Brooks is exactly as good as you want him to be. He plays the seasoned, weary mentor with that patented mix of dry panic and reluctant tenderness, like a man who’s spent decades pretending he’s in control and only recently realized no one ever was. He doesn’t grandstand; he drifts in, drops a line that’s both funny and quietly devastating, and drifts back out, leaving everyone—including the audience—a little off‑balance. His scenes with Mackey are the film’s emotional spine, and every time he’s on screen, the movie sharpens.
If Ella McCay works—and for all its wobble, it mostly does—it’s because the cast, the chemistry, the dialogue, and Albert Brooks all show up ready to play.
It is now streaming on Hulu.
MPAA Rating: PG-13.
Runtime: 115 mins
Director: James L. Brooks
Writer: James L. Brooks
Cast: Emma Mackey; Jamie Lee Curtis; Albert Brooks
Genre: Comedy | Drama
Tagline:
Memorable Movie Quote: "Try not to judge my husband right away."
Distributor: 20th Century
Official Site: https://www.20thcenturystudios.com/movies/ella-mccay
Release Date: December 12, 2025
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date:
Synopsis: An idealistic young woman juggles her family and work life in a comedy about the people you love and how to survive them.
