Film Review: "Trumbo" (2016).

"When they tried to silence him, he made the world listen." This is Trumbo. This biographical drama film directed by Jay Roach, written by John McNamara, and based on the biography Dalton Trumbo by Bruce Alexander Cook. In 1947, Dalton Trumbo was Hollywood's top screenwriter until he and other artists were jailed and blacklisted for their political beliefs. The film recounts how Dalton used words and wit to win two Academy Awards and expose the absurdity and injustice under the blacklist, which entangled everyone from gossip columnist Hedda Hopper to John Wayne, Kirk Douglas, and Otto Preminger.

Born on December 9, 1905, James Dalton Trumbo became an award-winning American screenwriter and novelist who wrote many award-winning films including Roman Holiday (1953), Exodus (1960), Spartacus (1960), and Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (1944). In 1947, he became one of The Hollywood Ten after he refused to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) during the committee's investigation of Communist influences in the motion picture industry. Trumbo, the other members of the Hollywood Ten, and hundreds of other professionals in the industry were blacklisted by Hollywood. He was, however, able to continue working clandestinely on major films, writing under other authors' names or pseudonyms. His uncredited work won two Academy Awards for Roman Holiday and The Brave One (1956). When he was given public screen credit for both Exodus and Spartacus, it marked the beginning of the end of the Hollywood Blacklist for Trumbo and other affected screenwriters. He finally was given full credit by the Writers' Guild for all his achievements, the work of which encompassed six decades of screenwriting.

In late September 2013, Bryan Cranston was cast to play the title role. Gary Oldman was considered for the role. By mid September 2014, Diane Lane, Helen Mirren, Louis C.K., Elle Fanning, John Goodman, Michael Stuhlbarg, Alan Tudyk, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Dean O'Gorman, Stephen Root, Peter Mackenzie, and Christian Berkel rounded out the film's cast. At the same time, principal photography commenced, and wrapped in early November. Filming took place in New Orleans, Louisiana, and Los Angeles, California.

The film stars Cranston, Lane, Mirren, C.K., Fanning, Goodman, Stuhlbarg, Tudyk, Akinnuoye-Agbaje, O'Gorman, Root, Mackenzie, and Berkel. Strong performances were given by the cast, especially Cranston. Cranston did an impressive job as the title character, perfectly recreating Trumbo's look and personality, with astonishing precision, the gait and gestures of the legendary screenwriter. Cranston's surprisingly dead-on impersonation of Trumbo is an absolute knockout and well worth the price of admission.

Trumbo boasts a terrific performance from Bryan Cranston in the title role, but it isn't enough to overcome a formulaic biopic that pales in comparison to its subject's classic films. The film celebrates the life and work of blacklisted screenwriter Dalton Trumbo with measures of humor and sadness. The film is a loving and often endearing homage to a man, but as with all things Hollywood, it ain't history. However, for all the film's undisputed competence, grand and inspired moments are thin on the ground.

Simon says Trumbo receives:

Also, see my review for The Campaign.