Everybody's Talking About Jamie (2021) User Reviews

Heartwarming, fun, touching

[robert-wood-1 · 8/10 · 17 September 2021]

I can only image the ridiculously low score for this film is due to homophobia and general intolerance because it is way, way better than 5.6.

This is a hugely enjoyable film, with some fabulous performances from all of the cast. In these times where we seem to be going backwards in terms of tolerance, it's great to see such a positive film about identity and sexuality, of wanting to be different and showing relationships between people of such different backgrounds and origins.

Richard E Grant is absolutely fantastic as the old drag queen just as Max Harwood is as the young one. Love the relationships between Jamie and Pritti, Sarah Lancashire is great as always she always is and Shobna Gulati is a hoot.

I really hope that people look past the score here and read the glowing reviews of the films. Even as someone who is straight and who likes different music to this, I found this film to thoroughly entertaining .

"A boy in a dress is someone to be laughed at, but a drag queen is someone to be feared."

[Galop_Inferno · 8/10 · 13 August 2021]

Based on the West End musical of the same name, itself adapted from the BBC Three documentary Jamie: Drag Queen at 16, Everybody's Talking About Jamie is the latest jump from stage to screen. Produced in cooperation with the stage production's creative team, the film introduces the extraordinary Max Harwood as the titular Sheffield teen who battles prejudice to find his identity.

Jamie New is your average 16-year-old boy. He goes to high school, has to pass maths, spends time with his best friend... oh, and he enjoys crossdressing. His mother is the most supportive parent any gay kid could ask for but his father has given up on him completely. Mum can't bear to break her son's heart and covers for the neglect.

In his search for his drag persona, Jamie meets drag shop owner Hugo (the always fabulous Richard E. Grant), who once housed warrior queen Loco Chanelle in her blood red dress. Hugo takes Jamie under his frock to help this insecure lad unleash his inner divinity.

The film makes it clear from the get-go that the viewer is getting a musical, with the disclaimer: "This story really happened... and then we added the singing and dancing." Jonathan Butterell, of the original production, makes his feature film directorial debut here, with a screenplay by Tom MacRae from his own book. In the vein of other stage-to-screen adaptations this year, I've come to the conclusion that anything cut was done for good reason. It's noticeable here as a chunk of the original score is absent.

Harwood is a force not to be reckoned with in his very first role. A young star with the heart and the humor to embody such a complex but relatable character. His co-stars are no less talented. Lauren Patel plays Pritti, a studious young woman with a biting wit and all the best friend qualities a gay kid needs. Sharon Horgan really struts her stuff as the practical Year 11 instructor Miss Hedge. And while I'll sing the praises of Richard E. Grant until the end of time, the MVP goes to Sarah Lancashire, who, as Jamie's mother Margaret, has such raw emotional depth that'll bring tears, see "He's My Boy".

However, the film is not without its issues. While Jamie is a genuine delight, one can't shake the feeling that the filmmakers played this daring story too safe. There are points where provocativity could be more... well, provocative, but it's overshadowed by a constant fairy tale light, as if protecting the audience from the realities that come with seeking one's identity via crossdressing. This imbalance of reality vs fantasy causes an uneven tone.

Is it perfect? No. Is it a delight? Oh, most definitely. Sometimes that's all you need. I showered praise on Jamie at its Frameline premiere, but a rewatch in its limited theatrical release made me realize (likely thanks to the absence of a cheering crowd) the nitpicks. I think I wanted so badly to love it three months prior to official release, but it's still a fun little movie that should provide a bright light for everyone... at least until they get emotionally manipulated by Dear Evan Hansen.

Inner Beauty

[nlsteven-attheMovies · 8/10 · 4 November 2021]

Max Harwood delivers a standout debut performance in this camp coming-of-age musical, which features dazzling musical numbers, great costumes and set designs and an over-the-top drag queen performance by the wonderful Richard E. Grant. I could do with less of the gay clichéd themes - they are cringey.

Let it lift you up

[Gordon-11 · 17 October 2021]

This is a well made musical biography. The story is touching, uplifting and powerful. The songs are good, the visuals are colourful. The film lifts you up through the great songs.

A Warm Watch

[Neon_Gold · 6/10 · 3 June 2023]

This would definitely come code to home for lots of queer people. It was nice to see a British queer story that featured something that I related with.

It has a heart and is definitely feel good. I do think it's definitely tailored for a straight audience. It has a softness and digestible feel.

It's painfully northern (I'm northern). I think younger Northern people struggle to act, they all sound like they are in year 7 drama class. Obviously Sarah Lancashire is great and had such a deep feel to her character. She brought a lot. The lead...he's a good singer.

I think it's too long and the script is rough, it feels like a 40 year old has wrote teenage characters. Everything they say just sound so off. Aside from the dialogue I also felt like the story was strange. I think it seems very muddy. There is a internal conflict that comes of of absolutely nowhere right in the middle of the movie. Totally unwarranted to this character that we have watched for over an hour. It makes complete sense when explained but why they chose to place this in the middle of the movie without building to it, I have no idea. Another strange thing for me was the choice of dress at the end. It was like he went in granny's closet? Such a strange choice.

I'm glad movies like this are becoming more common and I want them to continue and become even better.

Charming fairytale

[sergepesic · 7/10 · 23 February 2022]

It is hard to combine two potentially opposite things. To be yourself and to fit in. Much harder if you happen to be a teenager. "Everybody's talking about Jamie" is a fairytale. Based on real people, but nevertheless a fairytale. Young, effeminate, gay 16-year boy, abandoned by his father, with hopes and dreams and the grim reality of Sheffield, industrial city in southern Yorkshire. Not the greatest starting point for an aspiring drag queen. But then, aren't the starting points way overrated. Charming fairytale for our, all but charming, depressing times.

The Real Deal (and no James Corden!)

[leila_sami · 9/10 · 18 September 2021]

I'll start by saying I'm a huge fan of live musicals and I really think West End and Broadway actors are some of the most talented performers around! I'm so sick of musical adaptions where it's such a priority to cast famous actors even when they can't sing (Into the Woods, Sweeney Todd, Beauty and the Beast, the list goes on). To compensate they have to auto-tune the living daylights out of every song so it sounds like you're listening to some kind of tone-deaf, mechanical monster or, when even that fails, they have the actors basically speak the songs (cough Emma Watson cough). I also don't know who decided that James Corden is the musical star du jour but I'd like to know how we get them to cease and desist. It also upsets me when they brutally cut loads of the songs for no apparent reason and/or add in new songs that are clearly just tacked on for unfathomable reasons (a la Aladdin and pretty much every movie musical I've already mentioned).

Anyway, enough moaning about other movie musicals. Given the movie's title, I shall join everybody else talking about Jamie. I like that it's not a carbon copy of the musical (otherwise why not just do an awesome Hamilton-style stage recording) but instead acknowledges that this is a new and different medium from the stage and uses this to its full advantage. All of the cast are talented actors and singers. Max Harwood is the perfect Jamie: sweet, naive and endearing with the most gorgeous voice. His performance is very different from John McCrea's but equally beautiful. All of the other actors do a great job making this as heartwarming, enjoyable and moving as the live musical with a beautiful and meaningful message about encouraging people to be their true and honest selves.

I've no idea who is giving low ratings to this but I'd really encourage everyone to watch it and make up their own minds.

Bit of a drag?

[glcobbold · 6/10 · 17 September 2021]

You can tell this was filmed in 2019. Jamie feels like a pre-pandemic LGBT movie musical, if ever there was one.

The heart and charm of the stage musical is not apparent in this adaptation. It feels like an ode to narcissism and self-obsession, rather than a tribute to self-expression. Maybe this film would have had resonance fifteen years ago, but it feels so out of sync with the current zeitgeist. The more it tries to be inspiring, the more on-the-nose and garish it becomes, and the more I want to crawl back into my metaphorical closet...

The main fault of this film is the direction. It lacks vision. It's trying to be a 2000s British feel-good movie one minute, then the next it's a parody of a Netflix teen drama. Either way, with the number of stereotypes it perpetuates, it feels like an LGBT story more concerned with pleasing its straight audience than its gay one. If it had rooted itself in a time and place - 2010 Sheffield - examined that culture, and honed in on the mother-son emotional centre, then it could have been something interesting.

It's not a bad film, per se. It just doesn't know what note it's trying to hit... But, alas, the doe-eyed beauty of Sarah Lancashire's performance broke my heart and Work of Art will always be that bop...

6/10.

The Continuing Legacy of Gay History

[jromanbaker · 10/10 · 29 October 2021]

I watched this cautiously as I had not seen the musical on stage, and somehow I felt I was too old to be interested, and I was wrong!! This is a tremendous film and the plot no doubt has been explained over and over again. Jamie is the 16 year old who realises he is a part of Gay History, and that drag queen which he wants to be had also been a cornerstone of that History. The key scene was when Richard E. Grant sings a homage to the 1980's and 90's when drag queens died of AIDS and there is heart wrenching footage of Princess Diana visiting hospitals and hospices. It all made sense; the whole purpose of the film in showing those aspects of Gay History that still many choose to forget. Jamie takes on that continuing History of bullying, mockery, as well as help at home and in school. Sarah Lancashire is moving as his devoted mother trying to hide him from the fact that his father wants to disown him as his son, and despite all the songs that vary in quality I love this film for its bravery in showing us that a 16 year old can be a part of the revolution, which is the perhaps never ending legacy of Gay History, and for every supporter there is a homophobe who wants to destroy that History. A film for all ages and a welcome breath of fresh air. A perfect film for the children of the future in any country that is hostile towards homosexuality that I can think of. A deserved 10.

Entertaining

[alvo-54040 · 6/10 · 18 September 2021]

I felt it would have been a great movie had it not been cheapened with songs throughout it. Yes, I know, it's a musical. But the more I got into the story, the more distracting the songs got. For me, it would have been a stronger movie if it were played straight (no pun intended!). The storyline was strong enough to hold its own.

It's Amazing! Get the Tissues Ready!

[constancekaelie · 10/10 · 17 September 2021]

What's not to love. It's a coming of age musical about a fabulous 16yo drag queen. It's funny and larger than life. That's what drag is all about. The musical numbers are fun and bright. It will definitely tug at your heart strings especially if you're an old queer person like myself. This movie represents the new generation of rainbow warriors and how brave they are expressing themselves at such a young age. They're an inspiration to us all and they remind us we're never too old to be our true, authentic selves. Be big, be bold, be like Jamie!

I desperately wanted to score this higher, but...

[odettecralph-66283 · 7/10 · 24 September 2021]

Full disclosure here from the start, I adore the musical, and that's why I can't give this film a 10 as I wanted to.

Who made the ludicrous decision to remove the most powerful song in the musical and not include it?!?! The song Ugly in this ugly world, literally rips at your heartstrings, especially as a mother!

They also cut the song The legend of Loco Chanel, which is an awesome number!

It really bloody well annoys me when producers/directors get hold of a perfect musical and think they know better!

They did do a great job of putting the story to film though, the lead played Jamie well. Unfortunately Jamie's mum and Hugo/Loco Chanel were given to big name actors who didn't have the power in their singing voices to do justice to the amazing songs they had.

So whilst I'm happy that this wonderful story has been brought to the masses, I'm just so disappointed it's been done in such a disrespectful way to the musical. At least it wasn't quite as awful as what they did to Cats!

Amazing

[Johnny_West · 1/10 · 29 December 2021]

Wow, what an amazing thing. Everyone in Jamie's high school made it all about Jamie. So awesome to see that so much attention was focused on just Jamie.

Bland Filmmaking For a Musical

[sweidman-28016 · 6/10 · 26 September 2021]

"Stop waiting for permission for you to be you."

Everybody's Talking About Jamie is a feature film adaptation of the hit West-End musical about a teenager from Sheffield, England who wants to be a drag queen. Going in, I knew very little about the musical. Those who've seen it really liked it which brought some hype around it. And with its planned release last year, which ended up being moved for obvious reasons, had people speculating its chances at the Golden Globes in early predictions. Coming up to its release last week, it was so quiet. I barely saw any advertisements or anything surrounding the movie. Even I forgot about it until I saw it under the new release section last weekend. What could've been a good adaptation disappointed me into a fairly forgettable story. The way the movie plays out is basic. They move through the story quickly that there's not enough time to sit and enjoy. The inevitability of songs and scenes being cut makes sense for its considerably short runtime seeing as the stage performance is the standard 2.5 hours. Excluding the credits, it's just around 1:40:00. I would've liked to see more, but I'm sure there's some reasoning to why so much was cut. The main storyline is interesting and something many would like to see, but it's disappointing how bland the writing is. I rarely felt compelled, though I wanted the best for the characters.

If anything shines, it's the performances. Max Harwood is great as Jamie and is fully committed. And the other standout, and my favorite part of the movie, is Richard E. Grant. His character has the most development of them all. They replaced a song from the stage performance with a new one, and that was the highlight song for me. Most of the songs aren't all that interesting or memorable. There's not much tone in their voices, and maybe that comes with the style of music, but it didn't strike me as something great. And the numbers could've used some work. There are a couple that are styled almost like a music video and I did like those sequences. But it's not enough to remember them. Director Jonathan Butterell has interesting ideas that only work in pieces. Stage and screen are completely different and the quest to transfer to screen didn't quite make the mark. Besides a few sequences, it's pretty adequately directed. What left me feeling empty was the ending. Because there was a lack of buildup to it, once it ended I didn't realize it was the end exactly. The solution was simple and once solved it just ended. It's very anticlimactic. I wanted to like Everybody's Talking About Jamie more, but in the end it was just fine. I don't find myself revisiting it but I can say that I watched it. I know some people will really connect with it, and if you do, good for you.

What a cast!

[jacquelinesandra-34671 · 6/10 · 17 September 2021]

Giving only a 6 coz this musical is not one of my favourite but I can deny that the cast is fantastic and the movie well done!

Absolutely wonderful! Laugh or cry...this film will grab your heart!

[markalan-90147 · 10/10 · 17 September 2021]

Since seeing this musical which originally debuted at the Sheffield Crucible quite a while ago now it is amazing to then see it go to the West End, Broadway and now a movie!!

Amazing songs, great casting, wonderfully uplifting and equally and surprisingly emotional!

A celebration of both musicals & movies and most of all 'being yourself' in a world that currently needs all the colour, sparkle & joy at this dark and crazy time! Absolutely stunning!

Not the best adaptation to the screen

[charlypg · 6/10 · 28 September 2021]

While watching this movie, I always had the feeling that I was being in a theatre, but from my sofa, and it is not what I wanted.

I feel that while trying to keep the spirit of the original musical, they forgot that this is is a movie and some things must be changed or adjusted.

Absolutely sublime

[jameswitt80-834-696248 · 10/10 · 16 September 2021]

I am obsessed with this movie. It has everything - a massive heart, cracking northern / drag humour, an emotional rollercoaster of a storyline, Oscar worthy central performances, ridiculously catchy songs and a vitally important true story of triumph over adversity. This film deserves to win shed loads of awards and break viewing records worldwide.

It's just, fine.

[thejhnunn · 7/10 · 18 September 2021]

Is this adaptation the best thing I've ever seen? No, definitely not. But it is a joy to watch? Oh, definitely!

I didn't really have many expectations going into this, and that's resulted in me feeling that it's just okay - nothing worse, nothing better.

The singing seems slightly off to me, but I don't know if that's just because I'm so used to hearing the vocals of the West End cast on the soundtrack.

There are many heart-warming, emotional moments though; both new and old. Overall, this film is just a fun blast for it's run time but nothing too special.

Life affirming

[dominic_valente · 10/10 · 17 September 2021]

Superb cinematography, who knew Sheffield was so photogenic. Great songs, acting, watch it to feel good about life.

Lacks the charm of the stage musical

[amen26 · 6/10 · 17 September 2021]

I loved the original production of 'Everybody's Talking About Jamie' by Sheffield Theatres whose West End version with its original Sheffield cast I watched streamed onto a cinema screen a few years ago. It was charming, it was funny, it had great catchy songs in it. This film version has several of the original songs missing and new ones added, which is a shame. It's also missing some of the magic of the original. But it still has some magic to it.

Very poor realization of a nonetheless inspiring true story

[schorschi100 · 3/10 · 22 September 2021]

It is difficult to review a true story, more so of a controversial nature, since reviewing the film mixes with reviewing the story itself. I will try my best to stick the film alone. Well, it is mediocre at best. First of all it is a musical, but the singing is bad, like really bad. It seems to me that none of the actors is really a singer, but then again why not hire real singers instead? All songs seem boring and uninspired, sung with untrained voices which change register four times in a second in order to be able to reach anything above c1, no volume, no harmonics, no metal in the voices, nothing. Well this is a musical, right? It'd be fine for a high school production but not a full fledged film. The story plot sucks, there is practically no evolution of the characters, and the protagonist puts on a smile through out the film, which is not the tiniest bit realistic, let alone convincing. I understand he has yet a long way to go, but then again, this is not a college project, so it must be judged accordingly. The school teachers are a joke at best (especially the principal), with flat acting (I'm being polite) and even flater background stories.

Don't get me wrong: I watched the movie to the end and was also moved, but just because of the story and because I was constantly mentally projecting out of Harwood's poor performance the real Campbell in a real harsch environment trying to realize his dreams. Had it not been based on a true story, I'd given up after 15 minutes...

Bottom line: a film to watch only if there's nothing else on TV.

Uplifting coming of age musical from the UK

[paul-allaer · 7/10 · 20 September 2021]

As "Everybody's Talking About me" (2021 release from the UK; 115 min.) opens, we are informed that "This story really happened, then we added the singing and dancing". We are in "Sheffield, England" (about as blue collar a town as you'll even find, think of it as the UK version of Youngstown, Ohio), and Jamie delivers the morning newspaper as it's raining cats and dogs. It happens to be his 16th birthday that very day. Afterwards he gets ready for school, where in class he daydreams about a drag queen signing career. After school, his mum has organized a small birthday party. Her gift to Jamie is a pair of red sequenced high heel shoes that Jamie had been saving up for... At this point we are 10 min. Into the movie but to tell you more of the plot would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.

Couple of comments: this is the big screen adaptation of the UK musical of the same name that became an unexpected UK smash hit in the early 2010's. Making his feature film directing debut is Jonathan Butterrell, who also directed the original musical. It is the type of feel-good, against-the-odds, real life story that will surely pull at your heart (unless your hart is a stone). Newcomer Max Harwood is outstanding in the lead title role, and surely we have not seen the last of him. The production sets are lush when needed. Best of all, the music and lyrics sound and work great, smartly advancing the story.

"Everybody's Talking About Jamie" was supposed to have been released in theaters a year ago. Then a little thing called COVID-19 had different ideas. After multiple delays, Disney sold the movie to Amazon, which after a very limited theater run started streaming it on Amazon Prime this past weekend, and which is where I caught it. If you are in the mood for a light-hearted coming of age musical with top rate music and lyrics, I'd readily suggest you check this out, and draw your own conclusion.

Everybody's Talking About Jamie

[Prismark10 · 6/10 · 13 November 2021]

The stage musical Everybody's Talking About Jamie was inspired by the BBC documentary Jamie: Drag Queen at 16.

The film version excises some of the songs but still leaves the movie too long with the story too thin.

Jamie New (Max Harwood) is 16 years old and in the final year of his high school in Sheffield. Life is dull and career prospects is basically factory work.

Jamie is flamboyant, mocked by those in school as gay. His father abandoned Jamie for not being the macho son he wanted. His mother Margaret (Sarah Lancashire) is supportive of Jamie's penchant for cross dressing.

With the help from his Muslim classmate Pritti. Jamie decides to go to his school prom in drag. His teacher Miss Hedge is antagonistic with the idea especially as Dean the class bully refuses to attend such a freak show.

Jamie finds a mentor in ageing drag queen Hugo (Richard E Grant) who once performed as Loco Chanel.

This is a light feelgood musical. Too light for my tastes. The best and quirkiest bits were from Grant especially when you see Loco's backstory and the struggle for gay and trans rights.

I would argue that in recent years transphobia has gone worse and even mildly legitimised.

The film version needed more darkness. There is an air of that as Miss Hedge seems more concerned about Dean's rights than Jamie's to attend the prom in a dress. The head Mr Masood who is another Muslim character seems to be absent for so much of that conflict.

Fab feel good film

[lesleyasampson · 10/10 · 17 September 2021]

A very feel good film with a good storyline, I'm a big fan of the musical and now love the film also.