The Talent

Variety chief correspondent D’Addario debuts with an uninspired tale of five women campaigning to win best actress at the Academy Awards. The field is led by Adria Benedict, the grand dame of American cinema, who’s anxious to protect that status. Challengers include Bitty Harbor, a secret alcoholic who’s hot for her “Alpha-Hunk” costar in a film about Lady Bird and Lyndon Johnson; Contessa Lyle, a Black former child star desperate to be taken seriously in her role as Laura in The Glass Menagerie; Davina Schwartz, an acclaimed London stage performer and star of a feminist take on Titus Andronicus, who feels like a fish out of water in Hollywood; and Jenny Van Meer, who has spent her career in Adria’s shadow and hopes to come into her own with a Maria Callas biopic. In the run-up to the big night, these five stars cross paths on the awards circuit and are forced to deal with one another’s secrets, insecurities, and jealousies. Unfortunately, the characters mostly feel two-dimensional, and the story is curiously devoid of drama. D’Addario channels the noise of Tinseltown, but not the glitter. Agent: Jessica Spitz, Janklow & Nesbit Assoc. (Feb.)