Over the final decade, the film-musical genre has been in a strange sort of fluctuation. 2012 saw the lengthy-awaited film adaptation of Les Misérables come to be each a box workplace and Oscar darling and is usually regarded as a masterful take on the beloved house. Likewise, The Greatest Showman became a pop culture icon in 2017, with songs from the dreamy reimagining of P.T. Barnum’s story becoming mainstream hits. But then came a film that several take into consideration the genre’s lowest point in current memory: The 2019 disaster that was Cats. The film was so poorly received that the distinguished composer of the supply material, Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber, had to get a therapy dog. With the dismal reception of Dear Evan Hansen following in 2021, studios started to take a unique strategy when it came to film-musicals, specifically ones that had been adapted from profitable Broadway shows.

Film studios and distributors started to downplay the musical components of the genre, each in marketing and advertising and inside the actual production of the many operates. When compared to the beloved stage shows upon which they are primarily based, the motion pictures that stick to such a approach have a tendency to yield mixed (and additional generally unfavorable) outcomes. However, released in the middle of these two varying ages of stage-to-screen adaptations is Everybody’s Talking About Jamie. Based on a well known musical that played in London’s West End theater district, and has subsequently toured the UK and Ireland, Jamie didn’t necessarily get the exact same large-spending budget studio therapy that several of the aforementioned films did, but that is precisely why the film operates. The filmmakers produced several inventive alternatives that drastically benefited the material as it produced the dancing leap from stage show to motion image. Additionally, they did not fall into the trap of attempting to rebuild the score and script to advantage “star casting,” and, as an alternative, cast primarily based on the show itself. The outcome is a film that is joyous, accurate to the piece audiences like though remaining original and accurate to its new medium.

Everybody’s Talking About Jamie

The musical comedy drama Everybody’s Talking About Jamie is primarily based on the stage musical of the exact same name, which tells the story of a teenager from Sheffield who dreams of becoming a drag queen. The film stars Max Harwood and attributes Richard E. Grant and Sharon Horgan.

Release Date

September 11, 2021

Director

Jonathan Butterell

Cast

Max Harwood , Sarah Lancashire , Lauren Patel

Runtime

1 hr 55 min

Writers

Tom MacRae

Studio

Amazon Studios

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‘Everbody’s Talking About Jamie’ was Popular On Stage Before the Film

Theater is a difficult company. According to The Economist, roughly 20% to 30% of musicals make back their sizeable investments. While most shows close immediately after trivial runs, it explains why well known musicals on Broadway and in the West End are so often eyed by Hollywood. The Phantom of the Opera, has grossed additional than $6.9 billion worldwide, per the show’s official web-site, and remains the longest-operating show in Broadway history in spite of obtaining closed final year. It was also a prime candidate for the large-screen therapy, and was released in 2004. Since then, other large named musicals to get the exact same therapy have incorporated Dream Girls, Hairspray, and Mamma Mia, with the lengthy-awaited Wicked: Part One. While Everybody’s Talking About Jamie under no circumstances produced it to Broadway, the show was a hit in London’s West End theater district. It’s semi-biographical story of Jamie Campbell, and is partially primarily based on the documentary, Jamie: Drag Queen at 16.

Everybody’s Talking About Jamie follows Jamie New (Max Harwood in the film), a young boy with dreams of becoming a planet-renowned drag queen. While he receives a lot of encouragement from his loving mother, Margaret (Sarah Lancashire), his greatest pal Pritti (Lauren Patel), and a neighborhood shop owner/drag queen, Hugo Battersby/Loco Chanelle (Richard E. Grant), he is the topic of bullying at college, and is discriminated against by his teacher, Miss Hedge (Sharon Horgan), when news gets out that he desires to put on a dress to the college dance.

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The show opened in Sheffield in February 2017, just before transferring to the Apollo Theatre the following November, exactly where it received glowing evaluations. The Times compared the musical to the (at the time) current Broadway hit, Dear Evan Hansen, and mentioned “This is hit material, and it so deserved a chance to strut its stuff.” The show went on to run till 2021 at the Apollo Theatre, per BroadwayPlanet.com, launched a UK tour in 2020, and was revived in London earlier in 2024. Despite under no circumstances generating it to Broadway, in 2021, Playbill.com announced the North American premiere would be staged in Los Angeles. The production ran from January 16-February 20 2022. With so substantially international accomplishment, the show, its score, and its characters have come to be properly-recognized to theater lovers. As such, the film version had some large, sparkly red heels to fill. Luckily, the inventive group was up to the challenge.

‘Everybody’s Talking About Jamie’ Seamlessly Blended Musical-Movie Styles

No matter the medium, adapting a story for film is under no circumstances quick. Whether it is a book-to-screen adaptation, or stage-to-screen, each and every comes with its personal challenges, musicals becoming amongst the most complicated. While some of the terrific classic pieces from Hollywood’s golden age took a additional literal strategy when it came to translating Broadway shows, 2002’s Chicago took a additional stylized, pretty much fantastical route. All the musical sequences took spot in the thoughts of Roxie (Renee Zellweger). It was a stroke of genius for that film in unique, as Roxie dreams of a life on stage. Since Chicago’s release, although, the style has come to be far as well frequent, with Mean Girls (2024) becoming the most current to make use of it. It does not make a lot of story sense for Mean Girls, and the strategy now appears dated. At the opposite finish of the spectrum is Dear Evan Hansen, which is handled so actually that a lot of the songs are relegated to montage overlays. However, that only tends to make the songs that are performed actually look out of spot. When Everybody’s Talking About Jamie entered production, it identified a new sweet spot when it came to adapting the additional “stage friendly” sequences.

The musical is filled with a mix of types, like massive ensemble dance numbers, belted ballads, as properly as additional intimate songs. Using one particular or the other of the previously described strategies would not have completed the material justice. However, combining them all undoubtedly did. Within the planet of Jamie, the singing is canon, as Jamie shares songs with a number of characters. But there is nevertheless a touch of fantasy when it comes to the large ensemble numbers, as is noticed in the incredibly initial quantity, “Don’t Even Know It.” It begins off with Jamie singing to himself, but as he dreams about his future as a superstar drag queen, the ensemble of students joins in. As they do, the lighting gradually shifts, and the atmosphere becomes additional stage-like. With Jamie’s ambitions to be on stage someday, it tends to make best sense to make use of Chicago’s “fantasy world” process. The film is clever in its usage of the style, although. It under no circumstances absolutely cuts away from the tangible planet, only adjusting it slightly to match the ensemble numbers. Doing so tends to make the additional “literal” songs really feel appropriate at house alongside the dream-like ones.

A fine instance comes along with the film’s third tune, “Wall in My Head.” Jamie sings this absolutely in the tangible planet, as he reminisces on the disappointing partnership he shares with his father. In the exact same way, a massive ensemble song would really feel silly in the film’s sensible setting, this lovely and crucial quantity has no company in the planet of Jamie’s thoughts. It’s a beautiful expression of his heartache and preferred triumph filmed with basic staging: Just Jamie, standing on a wall, singing out into the horizon. Not only does the sequence solidify the film’s all round style, it permits audiences to get to know Jamie on an intimate level by way of the purity of the song itself without having any gimmicks, or deviation from what produced audiences fall in like with the material initially. It also proved that musicals really should rely additional on the talent that can manage the material.

‘Everybody’s Talking About Jamie’ Didn’t Rely on Celebrity Stunt Casting for Success

When it comes to musicals, film studios have a tendency to rely on, properly, reliability. Celebrity casting has lengthy plagued the genre, as was the case with Russell Crowe in Les Misérables, and practically the whole cast of Cats. While such choices may possibly look safer as far as the box workplace goes (Cats excluded), the move tends to get mixed reactions from audiences. While Everybody’s Talking About Jamie had an impressive roster that incorporated Richard E. Grant in a supporting part, according to Entertainment Weekly, the picture’s producers held an open get in touch with to fill the titular part. And that is how they met Max Harwood.

Harwood told EW that Jamie was his “first professional job in anything! Theater, film, TV.” He elaborated: “I didn’t have an agent at the time, and I submitted via a self-tape for an open audition. And somehow managed to bag myself the role after about seven [rounds].” The open get in touch with proved to be the appropriate casting process, as Harwood is undeniably the best Jamie. The part is not an quick one particular and expected a powerful, mature, but youthful and charming voice, in addition to the capability to carry out intense choreography. Harwood tends to make the part appear quick, and effortless! He handles the songs with dignity and strength, which assists them really feel all-natural.

On the acting front, Harwood brought a sense of realism and likability to the part. Harwood explained that he associated to Jamie, telling EW: “Well, here’s this 16-year-old boy who wants to be a drag queen. While shooting, there was a parallel there of me: It was my first job. And, you know, I’ve had a dream since a very young age of acting and entertaining. And I was on the journey of learning and growing in myself in the role. And we’re both quite headstrong and know what we want.” While it would have been quick to play it secure and try to cast a large name in the part, Jamie’s inventive group undoubtedly produced the appropriate option. Max Harwood brought a freshness to the part, and — for all these who loved the stage show — brought to life the beloved character like no one particular else could.

Everybody’s Talking About Jamie is obtainable to stream on Prime Video in the U.S.

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