Misty Greene
A woman is startled awake by another woman (Amy Landecker, "A Serious Man") screaming at her to get out of her apartment, the space having belonged to her deceased husband. But when Celine notices an Emmy in the living room, she suddenly recognizes the woman she's just accused of a myriad of crimes, the former star of the hit television show 'Red Eye,' "Misty Greene."
Laura's Review: B+
Writer/director Chris Rock ("Top Five") looks through the lens of Los Angeles where its most prominent industry drives the most extreme levels of success alongside broken dreams, racism, misogyny, homelessness and addiction. The filmmaker focuses on a character study of an actress who's fighting for a second chance after burning too many bridges and he's wisely cast someone who isn't too well known. But that's about to end for Rosalind Eleazar, a supporting player on TV's 'Slow Horses' whose thoroughly captivating performance here should catapult her into serious Oscar consideration.
Right off the bat, Rock clues us in to what happens to people 'who used to be famous' as Misty and her best friend Naomi (Anna Kendrick) attend an exercise class on the Santa Monica Pier whose instructor's face and entertainment credits are featured on a large stand-up at the front door. Now broke with her bipolar half brother Jay (Daniel Kaluuya) having been kicked out of his mental health facility and only six days to find new living arrangements, Misty nonetheless rejects Naomi's suggestion to reach out to former collaborators, one of whom, Jordan (Chris Rock), is in town on preproduction of a reboot of Dream Girls." But after laboriously making an interview tape, Misty gets a call from her agent Randy (Topher Grace) saying they want her to come in. He also warns her to get a good night's rest, but when Zach (Adam Driver), someone she once made a movie with six years prior, calls wanting to party, it doesn't take too much to twist her arm. Zach also has an agenda, as a Saudi prince who he's supplying girls with for a party has expressed interest in the 'Red Eye' star. Insulted at the insinuation, Misty turns him down flat, but takes his card.
Misty will raise eyebrows at her audition when the young actress about to star in Jordan's film bursts in to show off her wardrobe, demanding to finish when casting director Rhonda (Tracie Thoms, "The Devil Wears Prada 2"), who Misty also has a strained relationship with, has dismissed her. But when that young actress ends up in rehab, Jordan is willing to give Misty a chance, despite the fact that she's just gotten him into a car accident while driving intoxicated after partying with Zach and that he fired her six years ago for slugging a crew member in the face ('she started it'). Even Thoms is impressed with her rendition of 'One Night Only.' But just when things are looking up for Misty, fate will deliver a blow that has nothing to do with her behavior.
Eleazar is a force of nature here, abrasive yet loyal to those who matter, like the brother she shares childhood trauma with, willing to fight for herself yet hamstringing her own opportunities, registering the shock and horror at a situation she's willingly walked into. There is a scene where she sings Radiohead's 'Creep' for an audience at the Roosevelt Hotel that raises goosebumps, her talent beyond question. The actress commands the screen absolutely. Rock is the amiable colleague willing to overlook a lot to recognize true talent, the character a symbol of forgiveness. Driver is his counterpart in a performance oozing sleaze, a man who's quite up front about his transactional nature. Kaluuya does most of the heavy lifting on the racism front, the two-time target of Officer Wood (Anthony Anderson, TV's 'Black-ish'), who's looking for the murderer of a white woman. Kendrick symbolizes entertainment's broken dreams while still trying to grab the brass ring, in this case her wealthy, cuckolded fiancé Brad (Rich Sommer, "The Devil Wears Prada"). Thoms' facial expressions are priceless. The film also stars Alexandra Shipp as up-and-coming starlet Bella who's thrilled to be in the same spaces as her mother's favorite actress. Ice-T cameos as himself in a commercial shoot that parodies everything we've seen about haves and have-nots.
The production is first rate, cinematographer Kira Kelly ("Him") keeping us closely aligned with Misty in public and in private, Los Angeles glittering in both daytime and night. Production designer Michelle Patterson ("McVeigh") supplies various spaces around L.A., from that contested apartment overlooking the ocean to rehearsal spaces, police stations and a lavish party in Dubai. Costume designer Neishea Lemle ("The Harder They Fall") gives Eleazar glamor with an edge while defining the difference between Jordan and Zach through their clothing.
After "Top Five" and now "Misty Greene," Rock is proving himself an adept chronicler of Hollywood for good and ill. And just like Jordan, he's given Rosalind Eleazar a chance to shine and she's taken it.
A24 releases "Misty Greene" in select theaters on 10/9/26, wide on 10/16/26.
