The Fabelmans

"Capture every moment."

2022 2h 31m EN

🙌

7.6

BANGER

★7.6TMDB · 2,903

Drama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Growing up in post-World War II era Arizona, young Sammy Fabelman aspires to become a filmmaker as he reaches adolescence, but soon discovers a shattering family secret and explores how the power of films can help him see the truth.

“Capture every moment.”

WhatsApp X Facebook Telegram

Where to watch · US

Peacock PremiumSubscription

Peacock Premium PlusSubscription

Amazon VideoRent

Apple TV StoreRent

Google Play MoviesRent

YouTubeRent

Fandango At HomeRent

Spectrum On DemandRent

Amazon VideoBuy

Apple TV StoreBuy

Google Play MoviesBuy

YouTubeBuy

Fandango At HomeBuy

Cast

Michelle Williams
Mitzi Fabelman
Paul Dano
Burt Fabelman
Seth Rogen
Benny Loewy
Gabriel LaBelle
Sammy Fabelman
Mateo Zoryan Francis-DeFord
Younger Sammy Fabelman
Keeley Karsten
Natalie Fabelman
Alina Brace
Young Natalie Fabelman
Julia Butters
Reggie Fabelman

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Steven Spielberg
Writers: Tony Kushner, Steven Spielberg
Languages: English, Hebrew, Russian
Countries: United States of America, India

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Clocks in at 151 minutes — on the longer side of feature-length cinema.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 4 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 3 languages: English, Hebrew, Russian.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: United States of America, India.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

CAST

Did you know

227+ people credited in cast and crew — a small city's worth of labour.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Steven Spielberg, shot by Janusz Kamiński. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by John Williams. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Michael Kahn shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Steven Spielberg directs. Janusz Kamiński behind the camera. John Williams scores. Michael Kahn cuts. Profitable at the box office. Produced in United States of America, India. Dialogue in English, Hebrew, Russian.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Clocks in at 151 minutes — on the longer side of feature-length cinema.
2Released 4 years ago.
3Dialogue crosses 3 languages: English, Hebrew, Russian.
4International production across 2 countries: United States of America, India.
5227+ people credited in cast and crew — a small city's worth of labour.
6Directed by Steven Spielberg, shot by Janusz Kamiński. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
7Original score by John Williams. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
8Editor Michael Kahn shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
9Michelle Williams and Paul Dano and Seth Rogen carry the top of the cast.
10Marketing tagline: "Capture every moment.".
11IMDB entry: tt14208870 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
12Classified under 17 themes, including "high school", "husband wife relationship", "arizona", "bullying".
13Released under 37 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography: Janusz Kamiński
Original score: John Williams
Editing: Michael Kahn
Production design: Rick Carter
Makeup / hair: Miki Caporusso
VFX supervisor: Jeffrey Kalmus
Sound: Andy Nelson
Stunt coordinator: Garrett Warren
Runtime: 151 min · 2h 31m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $40,000,000
Box office: $45,629,909
Return: 114% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): PG-13
IMDB: The Fabelmans (2022)

Awards

Toronto International Film Festival People's Choice Award
Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Drama

Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.

Also by

Steven Spielberg

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.

Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

Peter McGinn2023-01-06
★ 6/10
I saw several negative reviews before I watched this, and I assumed there was an element of grading someone a bit more harshly when they have achieved wild success or, heaven forbid, if they do stellar work in one genre such as sci-fi or adventure and then have the chutzpah to create a film in a different genre not appreciated by the sci-fi etc. fans. Maybe there was some of that baggage involved; how else to explain one-star reviews. Really? A disgusting gross-out comedy might get 4 stars, but a serious biopic gets one? But I have given it six stars, probably my low for a Spielberg movie. I thought the film was too episodic. Here is where he saw his first movie; here is him with his first camera; here is where he learns something upsetting about his parents’ marriage; here is some bullying and then that part in every coming of age movie it seems, where a pretty girl throws herself at him. Sure wish that had happened to me at that tender age. And some of the scenes felt rather cliched to me. Also, and this is a bit of a spoiler, at one point his mother assures him she has not done ”that” with Bennie, and she loves her children and husband more than anything, but she still can’t live without Bennie? I had trouble with that revelation. But it isn’t all negative stuff. I thought a lot of the acting was strong, with a few exceptions, and most of the dialogue was good, but when a film is 2 and a half hours long, consistency is hard to come by, and there were a few hiccups here and there. The scene with John Ford was intriguing, but they could have done a bit more with it. I liked the two sisters as characters, but again, not enough depth was given to them. A bit of a lost opportunity.
tensharpe2023-02-03
★ 8/10
“The Fabelmans” is a movie loosely based on the true story of Steven Spielberg’s own childhood. Produced after the death of his mother Leah Adler and using the fictional family name of the Fabelmans the movie focuses primarily on the iconic film makers family and the impact his parents divorce had on his young life. “The Fabelmans” is rich in exposing the influences behind classic movies like E.T. ( Set in a broken home ) and some early techniques at effects the film maker used to better his home movies. “The Fabelmans” starts in the 1950’s with Sammy Fabelman experiencing for the first time the magic of cinema with his parents. Slightly traumatised by the movie, particularly a train crash scene, it’s from this emotional experience the first glimpses of becoming a film maker appear. Who of us that have delved into the arts ( film making, actors , singers , performers , etc ) didn’t start off creating these types of home made replicas? The idyllic family set up, with the ever growing confident and more adept young home movie maker, becomes derailed when after editing his 8mm footage of a family camping trip he discovers all was not as he remembered. The impact of what Sam discovers about his concert pianist mother and that fateful trip results in the eventual breakdown of his parents. As the movie moves into the early 1960’s and Spielberg’s high school years “The Fabelmans”touches on religion, race issues and first love. Due to the impact of that fateful camping holiday and therefore following a hiatus of not wanting to make any further home movies, Sam is persuaded by his girlfriend to film the end of school year beach party get together. The impact of Sam’s return to film making is clearly visible after the graduation film he produced is shown at the school prom to great acclaim. “The Fabelmans” is well documented as being a love letter to cinema but equally it is Spielberg’s love letter to his family. This is the movies key fact, the acceptance of multiple things happening all at once. Vocation is driven by both fear and talent, loving relationships break down, and movies that appear simplistic are highly sophisticated. With an extremely satisfying ending “ The Fabelmans” is a beautifully crafted work of art and remarkable insight into one of the most famous and influential directors Hollywood has ever produced
CinemaSerf2023-02-09
★ 7/10
Gabriel LaBelle is great in this generally entertaining and interesting tale of a young lad ("Sammy") growing up in post-war America who has a penchant (and eye) for film making. Growing up in an happy environment with mother "Mitzi" (Michelle Williams), father "Burt" (Paul Dano) and sister "Natalie" (Keeley Karsten) they all rub along amiably enough. His father is a developer in the computer industry, and together with their best family friend "Bennie" (Seth Rogan) relocate to a better opportunity in Arizona. It's after a family camping trip - and the death of his grandmother - that the young "Sammy" is asked to make a short movie from the film he shot whilst they were all messing about in the wilderness. His attention to the detail of his photography gradually reveals something that upsets him, and threatens the very equilibrium of their erstwhile happy family. What now ensues demonstrates how, gradually, all come to terms with his discovery and he determines just where his future career lies. I am not really a fan of Williams - I find her sterile most of the time; but here she is on really good form. The character of "Mitzi" is probably the most interesting, certainly the most conflicted - and she delivers it well. There are two lovely little, inspirational in differing ways, cameos from Judd Hirsch and from David Lynch at the end of this film that has a distinct lusciousness to it. Like the performances, the photography and the soundtrack are natural and engaging and could easily convince any of us that a career in film making is possible - indeed, straightforward! I don't know the extent to which it is autobiographical of Steven Spielberg's life, but to be honest I didn't really care. This is just a fine film to watch.