Dir: Jesse Eisenberg
Cast: Julianne Moore, Paul Giamatti, Halle Bailey
The Debut is a movie about a middle-aged housewife named Mona Friedman, whose life is changed by a single flash of impulse when she auditions for a musical by her local community theatre group. The movie has some life-affirming vibes, but also explores sharper themes as Mona falls under the spell of iron-fisted director Jerry Blankenbuehler. The movie features autobiographical nods to Jesse Eisenberg's own start in community theatre and includes original showtunes penned by Eisenberg.
The movie boasts an all-star cast, including Julianne Moore, Paul Giamatti, and Halle Bailey, as well as a heavyweight supporting ensemble. The Debut is billed as an adult comedy-drama and features language, sexual references, and brief drug use.
The movie has premiered at the Telluride Film Festival and is already tipped for awards, with Variety praising it as a "funny and dizzying mind-bender" and The Guardian praising Moore as "downright fearless".
