Release: Fading Star

 

Fading Star

Genre: Drama

Director: Christopher Storer

Writer: Holden Abbott

Cast: Chloe Grace Moretz, Laura Linney, Mark Ruffalo, Leo Woodall, Charlie Tahan, Eliza Coupe, Fivel Stewart

Budget: $27,000,000

Domestic Box Office: $13,240,594

Foreign Box Office: $10,489,493

Total Profit: -$15,509,333

Reaction: The Drama genre is struggling mightily this season with Fading Star joining the list of box office causalities.

"Fading Star is a raw, intimate character study elevated by a powerful central performance from Chloë Grace Moretz. Christopher Storer directs with a naturalistic touch, allowing the story to unfold in quiet, emotionally loaded moments rather than melodrama. While the narrative occasionally treads familiar ground in its 'fallen celebrity' arc, the performances—particularly Moretz and Laura Linney—give it authenticity and weight. It’s a haunting, grounded look at identity and recovery." - Michael Wilmington, Rolling Stone

"Though I believe writer Holden Abbott's intentions for Fading Star were in the right place, the raw performance from Chloe Grace Moretz and the great one scene performance from Mark Ruffalo are rather wasted on a script that barely scratches the surface on a topic that had so much more to explore and give." - Sammi Davis Jr, Bangor Daily News

"Though Fading Star has strong performances, it often feels overly familiar in its portrayal of a troubled former child star. The film leans heavily on well-worn beats—public meltdown, return home, therapy sessions—without adding much new perspective. Its pacing can feel uneven, and the final act, while emotionally potent, undercuts its own sense of resolution. Moretz does her best to carry the material, but the script doesn’t always give her enough fresh ground to explore." - Dave Manning, Ridgefield Press

Rated R for language, substance abuse, and thematic elements.