The Rep Delays Live Theatre Productions

The Rep Delays Live Theatre Productions

The Rep Prioritizes Patron Safety in Decision

Virtual theatrical experiences to continue; Mlima’s Tale still scheduled for May

To ensure the health and safety of Rep patrons, artists and staff, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis will postpone the March production of Little Shop of Horrors due to recent coronavirus surges in the region.

“We are committed to keeping our Rep patrons, artists and staff safe so we can continue to bring the magic of theatre to St. Louis for many years to come,” said Hana S. Sharif, Augustin Family Artistic Director at The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis. “We are disappointed that health conditions require us to postpone our reunion, but we are fueled by the enormous generosity, patience and support of our patrons and filled with optimism, energy and excitement about the future.”

In consultation with health experts, Rep leadership remains optimistic that the combination of vaccines, safety protocols and socially distanced seating at the new Catherine B. Berges Theatre will allow the organization to produce an extraordinary in-person theatrical experience as scheduled in May with Mlima’s Tale. Written by two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage, Mlima’s Tale is a moving, lyrical journey through the dark world of the international ivory trade. 

Until then, The Rep continues to stretch the bounds of how patrons can experience theatre through unique and inspiring virtual events. “Cooking, Carols and Cocktails,” a four-part virtual series that highlights some of St. Louis’ best food, music and personalities, is available on demand through Jan. 31. Additionally, “The Glowy Snowy Day,” based on the book “The Snowy Day” by Ezra Jack Keats, reimagines the award-winning children’s book using gigantic illuminated puppets. This free, drive-through event for families runs Jan. 1-3, 2021.

Each subscriber who purchased Flex Pass tickets will be called by a member of The Rep’s box office to answer questions and walk patrons through their options. Flex Passes may be used for additional Mlima’s Tale tickets, any of The Rep’s upcoming virtual programs or saved for The Rep’s 2021-22 season.

The Rep box office team will begin calling patrons immediately, to inform them of the schedule update and thank them for their patience and their passion for live theatre. 

ABOUT THE REPERTORY THEATRE ST. LOUIS

The Rep is the St. Louis region’s most honored live professional theatre company. Founded in 1966, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis is a fully professional theatrical operation belonging to the League of Resident Theatres, The League of St. Louis Theatres and is a constituent member of Theatre Communications Group, Inc., the national service organization for the not-for-profit professional theatre. Visit www.repstl.org for more, and find The Rep on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

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The Rep Offers Free Outdoor Adventure ‘The Glowy Snowy Day’

The Rep Offers Free Outdoor Adventure ‘The Glowy Snowy Day’

Mark your calendars for a magical puppet experience this week!

Together with StoneLion Puppet Theatre, we’ve created a brand-new adventure through the celebrated children’s classic, The Snowy Day. Join us to hear an enchanting adaptation of Ezra Jack Keats’ award-winning book, and watch the tale come to life in a spectacle of colossal illuminated puppets, glow artists and more – all without leaving the socially distanced safety of your vehicle. 

Because of potential inclement weather, this FREE outdoor performance will now take place January 1-3 on the Webster University campus between Big Bend Boulevard and Lockwood Avenue (just across the street from The Rep). 

Visit our website to learn more about The Glowy Snowy Day and to see a preview of StoneLion Puppet Theatre’s stunning work. Registration for the event is not required. 

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Pixar’s ‘Soul’ Has Whimsy and Warmth

Pixar’s ‘Soul’ Has Whimsy and Warmth

By Lynn Venhaus
Oh, so clever and profound, “Soul” tackles life’s Big Questions with whimsy and warmth.

An inspiring ode to mentors and finding our ‘spark,’ this original screenplay by director Pete Doctor, co-director Kemp Powers, and Mike Jones is a fresh take on a subject we generally ignore.

Docter, the genius behind Oscar winners “Up” and “Inside Out,” has gone into new territory while the animators have done stunning, next level work we’ve not seen before.

As the first African-American lead Pixar character, Joe (Jamie Foxx) is a middle-school band teacher whose true passion is jazz. So, when he gets a shot at performing with the revered Dorothea Williams Quartet, he thinks fate has finally smiled on him. However, destiny had another crossroads in mind – and he has wound up in the “Great Before.” He is paired with a wisecracking infant soul (Tina Fey), trying to figure her life out. Traveling between realms allows him to discover what it means to have “soul.”

The music score is glorious, with hypnotic other-worldly compositions by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, and jazz compositions and arrangements by Jon Batiste.

Batiste, the band director of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’s house band, Stay Human, did the piano performances for Joe in the film – his unmistakable long lean fingers gliding over the 88 keys with such joy. The man exudes optimism every time he tickles the ivories.

“Soul” is geared towards parents more than children, but lessons can be extracted for older youth.

The small moments of life are celebrated, as are the colorful personalities we meet along the way – trombonist Connie, mystic Moonwind, seamstress Melba, barber Dez, obsessive-compulsive accountant Terry, and all those Counselor Jerrys.

Tina Fey is a delight. While Joe and Soul 22 are on their big-city escapades, which are fast and funny, the ‘no-body’ discovers Earth isn’t boring – although she refers to it as “this hellish planet,” but one whiff of pizza and she’s stuffing herself with New York City street food.

Steve Pilcher’s production design of a teeming New York City is remarkable, as is his ethereal Great Before, a mix of pastels and golden lights.

In much the same way as Thornton Wilder’s prose resonates in “Our Town” — “Oh, Earth, you’re too wonderful for anybody to realize you…”, “Soul” will stay with you.

And in true Pixar fashion, one must remain for the credits – and they don’t disappoint. The production crew credits appear in the beads of Terry’s abacuses, and the infant souls play games.

Instead of the production babies’ list, they’ve titled it “Recent You Seminar graduates.’

This trip to the astral plane is “Dedicated to all the mentors in our lives,” and is to be savored.

“Soul” is a fantasy animated feature film directed by Pete Docter and Kemp Powers. Starring Jamie Foxx, Tina Fey, Angela Bassett, Phylicia Rashad, Graham Norton and Questlove, the film runs 1 hour and 40 minutes and is rated PG for thematic elements and some language. Lynn’s Grade: A. Now streaming on Disney Plus at no extra charge.
Lynn’s Grade: A

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Bleak ‘The Midnight Sky’ Never Warms Up

Bleak ‘The Midnight Sky’ Never Warms Up

By Lynn Venhaus
Regret and redemption are threads running through this bleak post-apocalyptic tale that wants to have both a human touch and a big picture narrative with its duel storylines.

The year is 2049. On Earth, some mysterious catastrophe has wreaked havoc. Instead of bailing like his fellow scientists, Augustine (George Clooney) stays at the research station in the Arctic Circle. Dying of cancer, he assumes he is alone. But finds that a young girl was left behind.

When he realizes the U.S. spaceship Aether, whose work on Jupiter is over, is heading home, he tries to message them not to return or they will be in danger. It is a race against the clock.

The trouble with “The Midnight Sky” is that both journeys – in space and on land – have gaping plot holes. I tend to overthink when I’m watching science fiction, but this is hard to connect the dots at times because information – and backstory – is dispensed so stingily or not at all.

For instance, the ship’s captain, Adewole (David Oyelowo) and assistant Sully (Felicity Jones) are having a baby together but they don’t show any evidence of themselves as a couple.

In flashback, George Clooney’s character Augustine is played by Ethan Peck, the grandson of legendary actor Gregory Peck. A clip of the elder Peck’s 1959 post-nuclear bomb film, “On the Beach,” is watched by pilot Mitchell (Kyle Chandler).

Based on Lily Brooks-Dalton’s novel, “Good Morning, Midnight,” this was meant to be a cautionary tale on climate change, but then a global pandemic hit, so the theme of regret at a time of great peril – and reflecting over life’s choices – struck a timely chord.

Screenwriter Mark L. Smith, who co-wrote “The Revenant,” adapted the 2016 book, and some characters have been altered. You do get a “Gravity Meets the Revenant” vibe, but it is also reminiscent of elements in “Ad Astra,” “Interstellar” and “The Martian.”

Clooney, a magnetic actor, hasn’t been in a film since 2016 “Money Monster,” and when you first see him on screen, as this dying, haggard 70-year-old loner, you may gasp. He goes all in as a guy driven by science that had little time for a personal life. He brings an emotional depth to the taciturn character.

His poignant scenes with newcomer Caoilinn Springall as the young girl left behind have an unexpected tenderness. 

As a director, Clooney’s efforts have been hit and miss, but he’s a sharp observer and takes on dramas that have something to say (“Good Night, Good Luck”). This film, with its grand space vistas and its harsh Arctic conditions, is more technically challenging, and Clooney is overwhelmed by its scope.

The visual effects are outstanding and cinematographer Martin Ruhe has done fine work here under grueling conditions. Alexander DeSplat’s score excels in both heavenly and earthly depictions.

However, Clooney is at his best with other good actors, and this is an ace ensemble.

For all its noble intentions, after a long slog, the film leaves us wanting more. Nevertheless, we are left with a glimmer of hope, and I’ll take it.

“The Midnight Sky” is a science fiction-fantasy drama directed by George Clooney. Starring Clooney, Felicity Jones, David Oyelowo, Kyle Chandler, Damian Bechir, Tiffany Boone and Caoilinn Springall, the film runs 1 hour, 58 minutes and is rated PG-13 for some bloody images and brief strong language. Lynn’s Grade: C+. It is available on Netflix beginning Dec. 23.

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‘Driveways’ is a Wise, Beautiful Film

‘Driveways’ is a Wise, Beautiful Film

By Alex McPherson
Like a Christmas miracle, director Andrew Ahn’s new film, “Driveways,” restored my faith in humanity.

Cody (Lucas Jaye) is a sensitive boy struggling to fit in with his peers. He helps his loving yet overwhelmed mother, Kathy (Hong Chau), clean out his late aunt’s house in a rural New York town to prepare it for sale. Cody meets Del (the late Brian Dennehy), a widowed war veteran living next door, and eventually forms a friendship with him that profoundly impacts both their lives and the lives of those around them for the better.

Sure, the plot sounds exceedingly saccharine, and although “Driveways” follows predictable beats, Ahn’s humanistic approach to the material sets it apart. Viewers shouldn’t expect anything like the bombastic screamfest of “Hillbilly Elegy,” thank goodness, but rather a film that feels like a bittersweet pat on the back. 

With a gentle touch that prizes emotional subtlety over heavy-handedness, “Driveways” zeroes in on a few characters who all feel adrift and disoriented in their lives. Cody is lonely and doesn’t seem to embrace the joys of childhood, in need of a friend.

Kathy is processing the death of her sister — who she became distanced from in adulthood — and the responsibilities of caring for Cody as a single, Asian American parent, while also working to become a nurse.

Del is coming to grips with his remaining years and the mistakes made throughout his life, waiting for a figurative sunset to close out his final chapter. 

The stage is set for a depressing tale, but “Driveways” isn’t a depressing film — showing these characters’ potential for growth despite their struggles, as well as the meaningful impacts that acts of goodwill can have on their lives, or, in fact, anyone’s life.

The film emphasizes smaller, quieter moments of human connection that feel earned and genuine, with an emotional core that sneaks up on viewers and encourages them to go out into the real world and be compassionate to others. 

Much of the power of “Driveways” comes from Ahn’s devotion to letting us sit with the characters and watch them interact in a way that doesn’t feel traditionally “dramatic.”

Indeed, the film progresses in a relatively low-key fashion, with sympathetic characters whose struggles feel relatable, and whose arcs feel earned and thoughtful. Larger topics linger in the periphery— among them prejudice, economic inequality, and the stress of single parenting  — but “Driveways” isn’t really concerned with hard-hitting social commentary.

What Ahn’s film spotlights, on the other hand, is how seemingly mundane acts of kindness and reaching out can bring people together, even those with vastly different life experiences.

The actors portraying the film’s small cast are exceptional, helping to make the characters feel like real human beings. Jaye gives an absolutely incredible performance, conveying an emotional range and nuance that would be impressive for an actor of any age.

Chau is also compelling to watch, illustrating her character’s resilience in an emotionally draining situation. The true standout performance of “Driveways,” though, is by Brian Dennehy. Knowing that this performance was among his last gives every scene he’s in an added melancholic weight, especially his final monologue — a mournful, beautiful reflection on life and the importance of cherishing those close to us.

I don’t have a single flaw to nit-pick. “Driveways” is a near-perfect film, one whose simplistic premise and small-scale storytelling belies an emotional wisdom that the world needs right now. Do yourself a favor and go watch it.

“Driveways” is a drama directed by Andrew Ahn, starring Brian Dennehy, Hong Chau, Lucas Jaye and Christine Ebersole. It is 83 minutes long and is available on Showtime and Video on Demand. Alex’s Grade: A+

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Muny Offers Special Holiday Video Series Featuring Many Favorites

Muny Offers Special Holiday Video Series Featuring Many Favorites
After a record-breaking online summer season, The Muny announced today Muny Holiday Magic. A special four-day holiday video series, Muny Holiday Magic will feature performances from Muny family across the country, including The Muny Kids and Teens. Each free pre-recorded performance will air daily at 12:00 p.m. CST Dec. 21 – 25 via The Muny’s social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.

The Muny Holiday Magic schedule is:

Dec. 21 – Members of The Muny Kids and Teens performing “Underneath the Tree.”
Dec. 22 – Members of The Muny Kids and Teens performing “The Chanukah Song (We Are Lights).”
Dec. 23 – A medley of “The 12 Days of Quarantine” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” featuring Broadway and The Muny’s Jason Gotay, Mamie Parris, Nasia Thomas, St. Louis favorites and more than 30 Muny family from coast to coast.

“The 12 Days of Quarantine” features original lyrics written by Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen and stars Muny 2020 Summer Variety Hour Live! favorites Maya Bowles, Stephen Buntrock and Erin Dilly with their family, Beth Crandall, Chloe O. Davis, Colby Dezelick, Emma Gassett, Jason Gotay, Matt Kunkel, James T. Lane, Raymond J. Lee, Mamie Parris, Tony Scandora, Trevor Michael Schmidt, Jack Sippel, Blakely Slaybaugh, Gabi Stapula and Nasia Thomas, with music direction by Michael Horsley, orchestrations and arrangements by Andrew Graham, video editing by Matthew Young and many more surprises.

“Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” The Muny’s take on the Meet Me In St. Louis classic, stars St. Louis favorites Leah Berry, Patrick Blindauer, Duane Martin Foster, Zoe Vonder Haar, Julie Hanson, Kennedy Holmes, Kamal Lado, Ben Nordstrom, Rich Pisarkiewicz and April Strelinger, with music direction and arrangements by Michael Horsley, video editing by Matthew Young, sound design by Bill Buzan and video captured by Switch.

Dec. 24 – Broadway, West End and Muny star Ken Page reading the timeless holiday classic The Night Before Christmas. “The voice” of not only The Muny, but also Oogie Boogie in The Nightmare Before Christmas, Ken has been a Muny staple in over 40 productions.

On Dec. 25, a compilation of the four shows will air as a complete package. Each holiday video will be available until midnight Dec. 31, 2020.
The Muny Box Office. Photo by Julia Merkle

To stay connected virtually and to receive the latest updates, please follow The Muny on their social media channels, including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
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The Muny’s mission is to enrich lives by producing exceptional musical theatre, accessible to all, while continuing its remarkable tradition in Forest Park. As the nation’s largest outdoor musical theatre, we produce seven world-class musicals each year and welcome over 350,000 theatregoers over our nine-week season. Celebrating 102 seasons in St. Louis, The Muny remains one of the premier institutions in musical theatre.

For more information about The Muny, visit muny.org
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The Black Rep Presents A Holiday Soiree to Celebrate the Season

The Black Rep Presents A Holiday Soiree to Celebrate the Season

THE BLACK REP PRESENTS Live Stream Marking the 12 Days of Christmas to Kwanzaa Showcasing Dance, Music and Stories for All Audiences

WHAT: The St Louis Black Repertory Company is presenting A Holiday Soiree to celebrate the season and mark the beginning of a new year. The 12 Days of Christmas will feature dance, music, and storytelling performed by a roster of artist-friends of The Black Rep. The virtual celebration will conclude with I Remember Harlem, in a re-release of the Company’s virtual gala featuring international and national artists highlighting the brilliant works of African American artists such as Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong and Langston Hughes.

WHEN: Each day leading up to Christmas a new video will be released at 12pm (cst) on social media platforms. I Remember Harlem will be released on Friday, December 26, the first day of Kwanzaa, and be available through Thursday, December 31, 2020.  

WHERE: The 12 Days of Christmas will be posted on social media platforms @stlblackrep – Facebook and Instagram; I Remember Harlem will be available via Vimeo and on the web. For more information, visit theblackrep.org.

WHO: The event has been put together and organized by members of The Intern Company of The Black Rep.

WHY: To create a safe celebration of the season while putting a spotlight on our wide community of artists – both established and emerging, from all over the country.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Brian McKinley, brianm@theblackrep.org, (314) 534-3807

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 About The St. Louis Black Repertory Company

Founded in 1976 by Producing Director Ron Himes, The Black Rep is one of the largest, professional African-American theatre companies in the nation and the largest African-American professional performing arts organization in Missouri. Quality professional dramas, comedies and musicals by primarily African-American and African diaspora playwrights are produced. Mainstage productions and education programs combine to reach more than 80,000 people annually.

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‘Beasts Clawing at Straws’ Wild Tale with a Few Noticeable Scratches

‘Beasts Clawing at Straws’ Wild Tale with a Few Noticeable Scratches

By Alex McPherson
Writer-director Yong-hoon Kim’s crime thriller, “Beasts Clawing at Straws,” features memorable characters, an outrageous plot, and a fair amount of blood.

A twisty story told with pizzazz, “Beasts Clawing at Straws” focuses on greed and the lengths that people will go to assuage it. In the South Korean city of Pyeongtaek, Jung-Man (Sung-Woo Bae) works as a cashier at a hotel sauna. Taking care of his Alzheimers-stricken mother and struggling to make ends meet, Jung-Man and his wife are fatigued and unhappy at their jobs.

One day, Jung-Man finds a suitcase of money left abandoned in a locker at work and gets a chance to turn his life around. Viewers then learn how the bag ended up there in the first place — a tale involving double-crosses and a high body count. 

The main players include customs official Tae-Young (Woo-sung Jung), who needs to pay off a debt to a deranged loan shark named Mr. Park (Jung-Man Sik). Tae-Young’s girlfriend previously abandoned him and ran off with the money, putting the sap in quite a precarious situation. We also meet Mi Ran (Hyun Been Shin), a prostitute trapped in an abusive relationship with her husband. She encounters a prickly customer named Jae-Hun (Jun-han Kim), who falls in love with her and offers to kill her husband so they can acquire his insurance money. Yeon-Hee (Do-yeon Jeon), Mi Ran’s boss and a true badass, is eager to help her out, but has troubling ulterior motives, to say the least. 

I won’t dare spoil how their lives become intertwined. Much of the fun of “Beasts Clawing at Straws” comes from witnessing them act impulsively and face the consequences — initiating a domino effect of violence and betrayal where only the most hardened survive. 

“Beasts Clawing at Straws” conveys its narrative non chronologically with six distinct chapters, frequently cutting between these characters as their lives converge with chaotic results. Kim effectively sets up their backstories and their conflicts, illustrating that despite their differences, they are bonded through a need to re-energize their lives. Their livelihoods are at risk, and on some level we want all of them to make it out alive.

Kim isn’t especially concerned with social commentary, though, as “Beasts Clawing at Straws” plays more like a devilish dark comedy than a poignant drama. Realism is eschewed in favor of ratcheting up tension, heightening stakes, and subverting expectations — with chance playing a huge role in the characters’ success. Indeed, it’s extremely satisfying watching them escape situations by the skin of their teeth, and seeing even the most powerful among them undone by sheer bad luck. 

Nobody is safe in this dog-eat-dog world, and “Beasts Clawing at Straws” keeps viewers on their toes from start to finish, providing a steady stream of plot twists leading into its brutal, somewhat open-ended conclusion. Combined with dialogue that’s firmly tongue-in-cheek, strong production value, and actors who fully commit to their roles — especially Jeon — it’s virtually impossible to not be entertained if viewers are intrigued by the premise.

Nevertheless, the film has some notable flaws, which prevent it from reaching greatness. With Kim’s aforementioned time-hopping approach, the timeline of events quickly becomes hazy and convoluted. “Beasts Clawing at Straws” fails to effectively communicate when a flashback is taking place, momentarily breaking my immersion. More importantly, there just might be too many characters — we aren’t allowed to spend enough time with anyone in particular to form much of an emotional attachment. Even Jung-Man is undermined by this stylistic choice, and the film misses an opportunity to explore his struggles with much depth.

My criticisms doesn’t prevent me from enthusiastically recommending “Beasts Clawing at Straws,” however, and it remains among 2020’s most purely enjoyable films. 

“Beasts Clawing at Straws” is a crime thriller written and directed by Kim Yong-hoon. It is 1 hour and 48 minutes, and in Korean with English subtitles. Alex’s Rating: B+ .

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Muny Announces Plans for New Dates and New Show Order for 2021 Season

Muny Announces Plans for New Dates and New Show Order for 2021 Season
The Muny announced today dates for the highly-anticipated 2021 season. After postponing the 2020 lineup due to COVID-19, a first in the theatre’s 102-year history, The Muny plans to present the originally-announced seven shows in the upcoming 103rd season, should conditions allow.

With new dates and a new show order, the 2021 season includes Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (July 5 – 11), Disney and Cameron Mackintosh’s Mary Poppins (July 14 – 22), Smokey Joe’s Cafe (July 25 – 31), The Sound of Music (August 3 – 9), Sweeney Todd (August 12 – 18), On Your Feet! (August 21 – 27) and Chicago (August 30 – September 5).
“The thought of having our Muny family and audience together again next summer makes my heart soar,” said Muny Artistic Director and Executive Producer Mike Isaacson. “The passion, energy and talent that so many put into a Muny show will be through the non-existent roof next summer. Let’s do it.”
Over the next several months, The Muny, in conjunction with city and health officials, will continue to evaluate every aspect of its operation in relation to its audience, staff, cast, crew and community. With ongoing consideration for available information and guidance regarding the anticipated global recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, Muny staff are preparing for a delayed start of the 103rd season in July.
“After an incredible online season in 2020, we are excited to hopefully welcome St. Louis back to summer nights in Forest Park in 2021,” said Muny President and CEO Denny Reagan. “Our teams have been working diligently on presenting a season that is not only filled with ‘only at The Muny moments,’ but also safe. Safety, the comfort of our audience and the climate of the public health crisis will be the ultimate deciding factors.”
Current season ticket holders will be contacted personally in January with more information regarding their options and next steps.

New subscriptions will go on sale March 22, 2021 and single tickets will be available June 1, 2021.

MetroTix is the official ticket outlet of The Muny. Tickets are also securely available at muny.org.

To access season 103 assets, please click here.

Muny gift cards for the 103rd season are now available online at muny.org/store.

To stay connected virtually and to receive the latest updates, please follow The Muny on their social media channels, including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.


The Muny’s mission is to enrich lives by producing exceptional musical theatre, accessible to all, while continuing its remarkable tradition in Forest Park. As the nation’s largest outdoor musical theatre, we produce seven world-class musicals each year and welcome over 350,000 theatregoers over our nine-week season. Celebrating 102 seasons in St. Louis, The Muny remains one of the premier institutions in musical theatre.

For more information about The Muny, visit muny.org
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Brosnahan Shines in ‘I’m Your Woman’ Crime Thriller Throwback

Brosnahan Shines in ‘I’m Your Woman’ Crime Thriller Throwback

 By Lynn Venhaus
Jean is a terrible cook. But her gangster husband Eddie (Bill Heck) doesn’t mind that she is not Susie Homemaker. She wiles the day away looking fabulous in their snazzy place, creature comforts at the ready. “I’m Your Woman” appeals not only with its gaudy look but also its subtle evolution during a distinct time period.

One day, Eddie brings home a baby. On another day, Eddie doesn’t come home. A guy named Cal arrives to drive her and infant Harry away to an undisclosed location. Jean, confused and frightened, does what she is told.

Such is the wife mindset at the time. She knew Eddie was a criminal but didn’t judge. He provided a good life for her that she didn’t look beyond. 

In this 1970s set crime drama, Jean is forced to go on the run after Eddie betrays his partners, sending her and her baby on a dangerous journey.

Well, on the road she learns a few things and learns how to adapt on her own. She wears thrift store chunky sweaters, bakes TV dinners and listens to an AM radio. She survives. And her growth as a mother is a charming aspect you wouldn’t find in a male-dominated narrative.

Jean’s hard-fought journey about being comfortable in her own skin is at the heart of the crime thriller “I’m Your Woman,” and Rachel Brosnahan embodies Jean’s progression in a genuine way. 

Brosnahan, who has won multiple awards as the title character in “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” looks every bit a 1970s gal but more importantly, conveys her quicksilver moods and little moments of victory in such an endearing way.

Her talks with Arinze Kene, assiduous as the complicated Cal, are particularly strong and delve more into character than usual crime-centered fare.

Director Julia Hart, who co-wrote the screenplay with her husband Jordan Horowitz, has some issues connecting the dots but not enough to detract. 

However, she fumbles with the flow – it’s very measured and slower paced. Nevertheless, Hart can stage compelling action when necessary. And there are some bloody shoot-outs.

Noteworthy are an engaging soundtrack and a production design dense with details.

Brosnahan makes such an impression in this film that you really want to know what happened to Jean and her adorable Harry after the film ends, but glad you were able to spend time with them.

“I’m Your Woman” is a crime drama directed by Julia Hart and starring Rachel Brosnahan, Arinze Kene, Marcia Stephanie Blake, Bill Heck. Rated R for language and violence, it has a run time of 2 hours. Lynn’s Grade: B. The film premiered on Amazon Prime on Dec. 11.

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