TIFF 2024 films for theatre lovers
From splashy adaptations of well-known plays to films featuring local playwrights and actors, here are some must-see movies for Toronto theatregoers
I should have posted this list long ago but, like most writers, I’m a procrastinator, and I need the pressure of a deadline — or in my case today, an afternoon press screening — to force me to finish. Also, I just got back from a six-show trip to New York City, my first time there since February 2020, and it was a blast — but exhausting. (I’ll write a roundup on here soon.)
Anyhow, I’ve kept a running list of intriguing films, many with theatre-related themes or local artists, since the TIFF releases started coming out in mid-summer. (Musicals fans: you might also want to check out documentarian Joshua Oppenheimer’s first fiction feature, The End, a sombre musical starring Tilda Swinton, and The Deb, Rebel Wilson’s song-filled directorial debut.)
Here, in no particular order, are a bunch of titles I’m looking forward to seeing. I’ll post reviews of them when I catch them and/or the embargoes lift.
Really Happy Someday
Toronto theatre fans will recognize Breton Lamama for his standout supporting turns in shows like The Inheritance: Parts 1 and 2, Queen Goneril and Alice in Wonderland. In Really Happy Somebody, which he co-wrote and co-produced with director J Stevens, he plays Z, a rising musical-theatre star who’s had to learn how to sing after transitioning. Drawn from the creative teams’ own experiences, the film, also featuring Khadijah Roberts-Abdullah (Bang Bang, Prince Hamlet) as Z’s partner, and Xavier Lopez (Jesus Hopped the “A” Train), promises to be an indie gem.
Sunday, September 8 at 9:45 pm, Scotiabank; Tuesday, September 10 at 5:30 pm, Scotiabank
The Piano Lesson
After big screen adaptations of August Wilson’s Fences and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, it was only a matter of time before someone brought his moving Pulitzer Prize-winning play The Piano Lesson — about the significance of a family heirloom in a Pittsburgh family’s lives – to the screen. Malcolm Washington (son of Denzel, who’s acting as producer here) directs this version featuring brother John David Washington and Samuel L. Jackson, both from the recent Broadway revival, and (already getting Oscar buzz) Danielle Deadwyler. Be prepared to hear some resonant chords.
Tuesday, September 10, 6 pm, at the Princess of Wales; Wednesday, September 11, 8:15 pm, at the Royal Alexandra Theatre; Friday, September 13, 9 pm, Princess of Wales
Andrea Bocelli: Because I Believe
There hasn’t been a crossover opera artist like tenor Andrea Bocelli since, well, the Three Tenors, one of whom, Luciano Pavarotti, helped give him a huge boost early in his career. This is someone who’s sung both on the world’s opera stages and also opposite Celine Dion, Dua Lipa and JLo. Cosima Spender’s documentary follows the extraordinary artist, who was born with congenital glaucoma and lost his sight completely at 12, on the stage and off it, exploring his faith, fearlessness and family.
Saturday, September 7, 2 pm, Roy Thomson Hall; Sunday, September 8, 3 pm, Scotiabank; Friday, September 13, 4 pm, Scotiabank
The Listeners
Playwright Jordan Tannahill has adapted his own Giller-nominated novel about a teacher who hears a sound that no one else can seemingly hear. Disoriented, she finally learns that one of her students can also hear the sound, and they dig deeply into the mystery, trying to get some answers. Director Janicza Bravo directs a fine cast – headed by the magnificent Rebecca Hall — in this world premiere, which is sure to get you comparing theories after the credits roll.
Saturday, September 7, 5:30 pm, at the TIFF Lightbox; Thursday, September 12, 11:45 am, Scotiabank
The Last Showgirl
As someone who’s visited Las Vegas for decades and seen many shows there, Gia Coppola’s (Palo Alto) latest film has got my number. Pamela Anderson plays Shelley, a feather-clad, bedazzled performer at one of the city's last traditional floor shows, who finds that her long-running show — the only job she’s ever had — is about to close. With Jamie Lee Curtis as her cocktail server friend and Dave Bautista as the show’s stage manager, this character study seems like a pretty safe bet. And on the heels of Anderson’s candid revelations in her recent memoir, this film could prove her dramatic comeback.
Friday, September 6, 3 pm, Princess of Wales; Sunday, September 8, 2:45 pm, Scotiabank; Friday, September 13, 6:45 pm, Scotiabank
SATURDAY NIGHT
Live, from TIFF, it’s SATURDAY NIGHT! Sure, the early reviews out of Telluride have been mixed, and director Jason Reitman’s track record is uneven (for every Young Adult there’s been a Labor Day). But who wouldn’t want to see a reimagining of the hours leading up to the debut of the iconic, late-night TV sketch series? The fact that the cast includes Gabriel LaBelle (The Fabelmans) as Lorne Michaels, J.K. Simmons as Milton Berle and a whole bunch of up-and-comers impersonating Gilda Radner, Dan Aykroyd, Garrett Morris and the other not-ready-for-prime-time-players, makes it all the more enticing.
Tuesday, September 10, 5 pm, Royal Alexandra Theatre; Wednesday, September 11, 3 pm, Princess of Wales