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Biopics tend to come mostly toward the end of the year—in an attempt to grab award voters’ attention. Many try to inform and inspire simultaneously—to make viewers see the greatness that can be within anyone’s reach. But Shirley is not that kind of biopic.
Shirley stars Elisabeth Moss as Shirley Jackson, a reclusive horror writer who’s struggling to find the inspiration for her next novel. When her cheating, demeaning husband, Stanley Hyman (Michael Stuhlbarg), invites ambitious Fred (Logan Lerman) and his new wife, Rose (Odessa Young), to stay with them until they can find a place of their own, Shirley isn’t just reluctant; she’s adamantly opposed to sharing their house with strangers—even if Rose is acting as their new maid. But as their husbands battle it out on campus, Shirley finds new inspiration in her young houseguest.
As the two couples adjust to living and working together, their relationships shift. Pregnant Rose stays home from school to care for the house—and for Shirley—easily sliding into the role of naïve housewife. Fred seems to take cues from his philandering idol, while Stanley revels in his ability to control, manipulate, and demean.
But it’s Shirley who takes center stage—a fascinating character who slips through moods and demeanors without warning. At her best, she’s determined and obsessive about her work. She has a sharp tongue that people tend to take as acerbic wit. At her worst, she’s violent and unpredictable. Even at her least volatile, she’s an eerie, unsettling character—pale and somber and moody. She’s damaged and unstable, talented yet insecure. And Moss’s portrayal of her is powerful, taking all of the character’s personalities and moods, her anxieties and her manipulation, and throwing it all into one haunting performance.
Admittedly, the pacing here is sometimes slow, and it often feels like there’s something missing. And though the tension is sometimes palpable, the story doesn’t exactly build up to the heart-pounding action that you might be anticipating. It’s more atmospheric than action-packed, but Moss manages to keep it quietly mesmerizing.
Shirley isn’t the typical biography—nor is it an entirely exhilarating thriller. But the character is a fascinating one—and Moss’s performance makes her come to life on the screen.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
Kristin Dreyer Kramer has been writing in some form or another (usually when she was supposed to be doing something else) since the ripe old age of ten—when she, her cousin, and their two Cabbage Patch Dolls formed the Poo Authors’ Club. After a short career in advertising, Kristin got sick of always saying nice things about stuff that didn’t deserve it—so now she spends her days criticizing things, and she’s much happier for it.
Since creating NightsAndWeekends.com in February of 2002, Kristin has spent her life surrounded by piles and piles of books and movies—so many that her office has become a kind of entertainment obstacle course.
As if her writing and editing responsibilities for N&W.com weren’t enough to keep her out of trouble, Kristin also hosts a number of weekly radio shows: Reel Discovery, Shelf Discovery, and On the Marquee. She’s also a proud member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association (CriticsChoice.com), the Central Ohio Film Critics Association (COFCA.org), the Online Film Critics Society (OFCS.org), and the Women Film Critics Circle (WFCC.Wordpress.com).
Kristin lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband, Paul, and their daughter, Anna. She welcomes questions, comments, and fan mail at kdk@nightsandweekends.com.
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Kristin Dreyer Kramer has been writing in some form or another (usually when she was supposed to be doing something else) since the ripe old age of ten—when she, her cousin, and their two Cabbage Patch Dolls formed the Poo Authors’ Club. After a short career in advertising, Kristin got sick of always saying nice things about stuff that didn’t deserve it—so now she spends her days criticizing things, and she’s much happier for it.
Since creating NightsAndWeekends.com in February of 2002, Kristin has spent her life surrounded by piles and piles of books and movies—so many that her office has become a kind of entertainment obstacle course.
As if her writing and editing responsibilities for N&W.com weren’t enough to keep her out of trouble, Kristin also hosts a number of weekly radio shows: Reel Discovery, Shelf Discovery, and On the Marquee. She’s also a proud member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association (CriticsChoice.com), the Central Ohio Film Critics Association (COFCA.org), the Online Film Critics Society (OFCS.org), and the Women Film Critics Circle (WFCC.Wordpress.com).
Kristin lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband, Paul, and their daughter, Anna. She welcomes questions, comments, and fan mail at kdk@nightsandweekends.com.
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