The Writer and the Film Star
Genre: Drama/Romance
Director: Thomas Vinterberg
Writer: Alex Conn
Cast: Elle Fanning, Miles Teller, Louis Partridge, Kate Micucci, Jai Courtney, Ben Whishaw
Plot: The film opens in 1927, with Max Abrams (Miles Teller), an acclaimed novelist and playwright, at the peak of his career. His latest novel, The Layer, has been released to critical acclaim. Set within the intellectual scene of Paris, it is hailed as groundbreaking, a novel that captures the spirit of the 1920s in a way that resonates with both readers and critics alike. His work draws the attention of literary giants like Gertrude Stein, who praises Max as the best American novelist since Mark Twain. Max enjoys the cultural prestige that his success has brought, mingling with fellow literary icons like F. Scott Fitzgerald (Ben Whishaw) and Ernest Hemingway (Jai Courtney), yet his success breeds competition, especially with Hemingway, with whom Max has a complex, love-hate friendship.
Max, though technically a resident of Los Angeles, lives a life divided between two worlds. He maintains his home in L.A. because of his wife, January Olson (Elle Fanning), a rising star in Hollywood who is on the brink of fame with her role in one of the first talkies, The Bread. Directed by David Hughes, a highly respected figure in silent cinema transitioning into the world of sound, the film is expected to catapult January’s career. January is glamorous, ambitious, and well-connected, embodying the allure of early Hollywood, yet she finds herself drawn to Hughes. The two embark on a passionate affair during the film’s production, a secret whispered about in Hollywood but kept from the public eye.
Max, a staunch Communist, finds Los Angeles stifling, dismissing it as the heart of America’s “capitalist machine.” With a contrived French accent and a meticulously groomed mustache, Max outwardly criticizes everything he perceives to be superficial about American culture, and he often declares his preference for Paris, where he feels part of an intellectual and artistic revolution. His outspoken disdain for popular culture, and specifically the film industry, makes him an outlier in Hollywood circles. He mocks January’s success in cinema, publicly insisting she would do better to return to the stage, where she initially found her passion.
While January tries to rise in the Hollywood ranks, Max becomes known in Paris for his extravagant parties, gatherings filled with artists, writers, and radical thinkers, where ideas about politics, philosophy, and art are shared freely. At these soirées, Max often drunkenly declares that he will soon divorce January, claiming he needs an intellectual partner, someone who could challenge him intellectually. These statements aren’t entirely performative; Max genuinely yearns for a connection with someone who matches his intellectual fervor. However, beneath his arrogance and often hurtful words lies a complex tension between love and resentment for January, who represents the world of art he claims to despise but cannot fully resist.
The marriage between Max and January is strained and paradoxical. They both find aspects of each other deeply alluring and utterly unbearable. January is infuriated by Max’s self-centered arrogance and how he looks down on her work, never failing to belittle her for choosing the “vapid” world of Hollywood over “serious” art. For Max, January embodies the kind of “capitalist artist” he despises, someone more concerned with fame than meaning.
Despite this animosity, there is still a strong undercurrent of attraction between them. January appreciates Max’s intelligence, his reputation, and the sense of cultural depth he represents. Max, though dismissive of Hollywood, cannot deny that he is enchanted by January’s beauty, charisma, and talent. Their connection is both magnetic and toxic, creating an unbreakable yet bitter bond.
During one of Max’s short visits to Los Angeles, he discovers hints of January’s affair with David Hughes. While January tries to keep up appearances, Max’s intuition and knowledge of human character make it impossible for her to deceive him for long. Rather than confronting her directly, he retreats to his Parisian life, disgusted yet somehow unsurprised. In retaliation, he begins to intensify his public musings on seeking a “true intellectual” as a romantic partner, someone who could discuss politics and literature, not Hollywood and fashion. This only adds fuel to the gossip that follows both him and January.
Evelyn (Kate Micucci), January’s makeup artist and confidante, plays a crucial role in January’s life, offering her guidance and emotional support amid her complicated relationship with Max. Evelyn is the one person with whom January feels she can truly be herself. Unconcerned with the Hollywood spotlight, Evelyn serves as a grounding force, encouraging January to follow her passions and to be honest about what she truly wants. Evelyn is loyal to January, but she finds herself conflicted as she witnesses her friend’s pain and torn feelings over Max and David.
Through Evelyn, the audience sees January’s inner struggle—her desire to be recognized as a serious artist versus her need to stay relevant in Hollywood. Evelyn often encourages January to stand up to Max’s verbal jabs and seek out a life that fulfills her own dreams, but January, locked in a complicated web of emotions, isn’t ready to take the leap.
January’s role in The Bread is a pivotal moment for her career. The film, with its socially conscious themes about the struggles of working-class families, offers January an opportunity to showcase her talents beyond the typical glamorous Hollywood roles. Directed by David Hughes, The Bread aims to be a bridge between the silent film era and the emerging talkies, making it artistically significant and a potential landmark in cinema. The production is grueling, and January feels the weight of her ambition, the affair with Hughes, and the distance from Max, whose absence hangs over her.
Max’s reaction to The Bread is scathing. He sees January’s involvement as yet another sign of her shallow ambitions, dismissing Hughes as a “bourgeois artist” whose attempts to inject social commentary into cinema are, in Max’s eyes, pathetic. However, he grudgingly attends the film’s premiere, partially out of curiosity and partially to fulfill his social obligation as January’s husband.
The film is a success, with January’s performance winning praise. However, Max’s view remains unchanged. At an afterparty, he publicly mocks the film, calling it a “half-hearted critique of capitalism made by capitalists themselves.” His words wound January, sparking a fierce argument between them that eventually turns into a deeply personal confrontation. January accuses Max of being blind to anything outside his intellectual bubble, while Max retaliates by calling her “Hollywood’s puppet.” Their argument leaves January humiliated and furious, questioning whether she can continue to be tethered to a man who sees her accomplishments as worthless.
Unable to bear the tension in Los Angeles, Max returns to Paris, immersing himself even deeper in the life he claims to value over everything. His alcoholism worsens, spurred by both his jealousy over January’s rising fame and his frustration at feeling misunderstood by American audiences. At his infamous parties, he often picks fights with Hemingway, each of them trying to assert intellectual dominance, while Scott Fitzgerald attempts to mediate.
In a particularly bitter exchange, Hemingway accuses Max of cowardice, implying that his avoidance of Los Angeles and his disdain for America are merely excuses to evade personal responsibility. Max, infuriated, responds by implying that Hemingway’s work is simplistic and that he has sold out to the American dream. This rivalry between Max and Hemingway becomes a metaphor for the larger cultural struggle between intellectual purity and mass-market appeal.
Meanwhile, January’s life in Hollywood is complicated by her continuing relationship with David Hughes. She feels a deep connection to Hughes, yet the affair has lost its initial passion and leaves her feeling guilty and unfulfilled. She realizes that her relationship with Hughes is not truly what she desires; it was an escape, a way to momentarily feel appreciated, but not a solution to her real problem—her fractured relationship with Max.
Eventually, Max and January’s lives converge once more. January, exhausted by the turmoil in Hollywood and emotionally drained from her relationship with Hughes, makes a trip to Paris, partially to see Max and partially to seek closure. Their reunion is intense, with the unresolved anger and pain between them bubbling to the surface. Max’s disdain for January’s choices and January’s frustration with Max’s self-righteousness reach a climax.
In a surprising turn, January confronts Max not only about his harsh criticisms of her career but also about his own hypocrisy. She points out that, despite his intellectual posturing, he is just as enthralled by fame and recognition as any Hollywood star. She accuses him of using his “intellectual pursuits” as a mask for his insecurities, fearing that he is just another writer who needs approval to feel relevant.
Max is taken aback, recognizing some truth in her accusations. In this moment of vulnerability, he admits that his harsh judgments stem from his own fear of inadequacy, of not being as significant as he claims. The two share a rare, honest exchange that reveals the depth of their connection and the underlying respect they have for each other’s ambitions, however different those may be.
In a bittersweet ending, Max and January part ways with a newfound understanding but also an acceptance that they cannot remain together.
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