Jay Roach’s film script misses the essence of Dalton Trumbo

MOVIE review: if you’ve ever laid eyes on the superb 2007 documentary Trumbo, this feature won’t be a satisfying experience. It isn’t a helluva film.

TRUMBO (M)

Director: Jay Roach (Meet the Fockers)

Starring: Bryan Cranston, Helen Mirren, Diane Lane, Elle Fanning, Louis C.K., John Goodman, Michael Stuhlbarg.

Rating: 3 Stars

One man’s fight for the right to write

By all accounts, the late screenwriter Dalton Trumbo was a helluva guy.

If you are vaguely aware of his peerless reputation — or of the noble stand Trumbo took during a dark time in American history — then you’ll be content enough with this basic biopic of the man. Even if it isn’t a helluva movie.

The irony here (and one that would be wryly appreciated by the subject) is that it is the script for Trumbo the motion picture that misses the essence of Dalton Trumbo the motion picture screenwriter.

Not always by a considerable distance, mind you. However, if you’ve ever laid eyes on the superb 2007 documentary bearing the same name as this movie (and still available in all the usual streaming places), this feature won’t be a satisfying experience.

Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad) does a fair job in the role of Trumbo, the ideological figurehead of ‘The Hollywood Ten’.

EVERY CURRENT MOVIE RELEASE REVIEWED

In an Oscar Best Actor nominated role Bryan Cranston plays Dalton Trumbo, who fell foul of US authorities during a witch-hunt for Communist sympathisers.

This group of Tinseltown talents — writers, mostly — fell foul of US authorities during a nationwide witch-hunt for Communist sympathisers in the late 1940s.

Those who did not renounce their “red” allegiances had their names put on an official blacklist, and found it impossible to get a job of any kind. Trumbo himself did jail time for holding firm to his fundamental beliefs.

Once out of the slammer, the doors of opportunity remained shut to Trumbo. So he just slid his screenplays under those doors using the names of other writers (and secretly won a few Oscars into the bargain!).

Dalton Trumbo (Bryan Cranston), pictured in a scene with Nikola Trumbo (Elle Fanning), was jailed for his beliefs.

This well-meaning production does do passable justice to the intriguing tale of Dalton Trumbo, even if it doesn’t ever make the most of it.