This is a TV biopic of James Dean. It starts with director Elia Kazan (Enrico Colantoni) egging Dean on as he keeps rubbing Raymond Massey the wrong way. Then it goes back to his childhood as he loses his beloved mother. His cold distant father Winton (Michael Moriarty) would abandon him to other family members. He would never get the approval from his father that he craves so much. He would ascend through the acting world in NYC and Hollywood as well.
I'm not a big enough Dean fan to know how much truth is in this picture. However there is no denying that James Franco is the perfect guy of his generation to play the guy. It's much more than mimicry. He is channeling his spirit somehow or at least his public persona. He is really the rebel without a cause. The production is OK for a TV movie. The style is old school and functional. Watch it for Franco's performance.
I'm not a big enough Dean fan to know how much truth is in this picture. However there is no denying that James Franco is the perfect guy of his generation to play the guy. It's much more than mimicry. He is channeling his spirit somehow or at least his public persona. He is really the rebel without a cause. The production is OK for a TV movie. The style is old school and functional. Watch it for Franco's performance.