Adam Kline reviews the new film based on the life of actor Jimmy Stewart.
A few days before Remembrance Day, and a few weeks before the Season of Advent begins, comes a new movie about Jimmy Stewart’s military service and all that he endured before he was handed the script for It’s a Wonderful Life.
Jimmy, in select Canadian theatres November 6, stars KJ Apa, Jason Alexander, Rob Riggle and Neal McDonough. It’s an inspiring and impressive bio-pic with a surprising depth of emotion and several poignant performances. Recently, the director and producer of the film were interviewed by Brian Stiller on the Canadian podcast, Evangelical 360. In their conversation they explore the discovery of Stewart’s story, the film’s production and their hopes and prayers for its release this weekend.
The film begins in 1941, just after Jimmy Stewart wins the Oscar for The Philadelphia Story and just before he’s drafted for the war. Even though Stewart could have easily avoided the draft as a Hollywood star, he felt it was his duty to serve overseas. Upon his return, however, he struggled to recover from the affliction of what he witnessed as an airman. Thankfully, his friend Frank Capra was there for him, and in an effort to help Stewart find his way back to the big screen, offered him the role of George Bailey in a Christmas movie many industry folks thought was strange and unlikely to succeed.
Directed by Aaron Burns and written by Justin Strawhand, Jimmy succeeds as a film because its screenplay doesn’t glorify war, nor does it gloss over its agony. And thanks to KJ Apa’s stunningly authentic portrayal of our beloved protagonist, there are several scenes that are deeply moving.
Stewart’s own daughter Kelly Stewart-Harcourt has praised KJ Apa’s portrayal of her father saying, “KJ channels him and brings him to life without doing a Jimmy Stewart impersonation.” And in his interview with Brian Stiller, Aaron Burns shared that after many auditions and conversations with casting directors, “We had a conversation with KJ and immediately I saw his fearlessness, I saw his passion, and I saw that he was willing to embrace Jimmy’s heart.”
But with all this praise, the film is not without flaw. At times the constraints of a small-scale production can be seen on screen. There’s an economy to the visual effects used to recreate Second World War battle sequences and it can be distracting at times, but overall the film does succeed, especially when it simply accounts for Stewart’s life of service and faith.
As a film, Jimmy also has the potential to introduce a new generation to Stewart’s legacy and artistry. As Aaron Burns shared on the podcast, “For those who don’t know him…we’re just delighted to reintroduce this man who we feel, if more boys and girls could grow up to be like Jimmy Stewart, the world would be a better place.”