Writer-director James L. Brooks all but invented a warm, urbane way of telling complex women's stories, but his first movie in 15 years feels retrograde.

I can’t help but make Ella McCay sound incredible to everyone I talk to about it, even though that’s not my intention, and even though Ella McCay is incredible only in the “Can you believe that actually happened?

Its optimism is so refreshing, its dialogue so smart, and its characters and performances so endearing, it well rewards a watch.

Celebrated filmmaker James L. Brooks should have put the pen down before writing this extraordinarily confused story.

There is a methodology to the Ella McCay challenge. Your left leg must be suspended midair, crossing over your right leg. Your right hand has to be adjusting your left shoe while your left arm lingers in the air.

For his first original feature in some 15 years, James L. Brooks has assembled an impressive supporting cast and an appealing lead in Emma Mackey.

"Ella McCay" star Emma Mackey spoke with Variety about working with James L. Brooks in honoring the Golden Age of Hollywood, and working on "Narnia."

David Rooney of THR says he possibly speaks for most critics when he acknowledges how painful it is to lambaste the work of such a beloved titan of the entertainment industry. His hope is that Ella McCay is quickly forgotten in order to avoid tarnishing James L. Brooks’ legacy. Rooney writes: