One of the Biggest Flops of 2025 Is This 23%-Rated Dramedy With 'Sex Education' Star

Returning to the big screen after a 15-year hiatus is risky. For James L. Brooks, the legendary creator of The Simpsons and director of the Oscar-winning dramas Terms of Endearment and As Good as It Gets, the risk didn't pay off.

His new movie, Ella McCay, bombed at the box office and was panned by critics.

Starring Sex Education actress Emma Mackey, the film was expected to be Brooks' triumphant return, but instead became a shining example of how even the most brilliant talent can be lost in changing times.

What Is 'Ella McCay' About?

The story takes place in 2008. Ella McCay is an ambitious 34-year-old lieutenant governor of an unnamed state who finds herself on the brink of a meteoric career leap – she is destined to become governor.

However, instead of preparing for the high-profile position, her life descends into chaos. She must navigate her dysfunctional family, which includes her estranged psychologist father, eccentric aunt, and reclusive brother.

Meanwhile, her marriage to her equally ambitious husband, Ryan, is crumbling, and a salacious sex scandal threatens her career.

'Ella McCay' Is a Chaotic and Uneven Movie That Tries to Be Too Many Things at Once

Brooks, whose loquaciousness and glibness were trademarks of his 80s and 90s career, creates a cacophony of genres here. Ella McCay is a screwball comedy about an eccentric family, a melodrama about a marital crisis, and a weak attempt at social commentary.

None of these elements are fully developed. Set against the backdrop of the 2008 financial crisis, the action feels completely disconnected from reality, and the dialogue sounds implausible and dated.

The characters lack depth and motivation, existing merely as sitcom cliches. Emma Mackey, who displayed talent in Sex Education, struggles in a poorly written role. Meanwhile, the stellar ensemble cast seems to exist in different films, failing to form a cohesive whole.

'Ella McCay' Was Unable to Replicate the Success of James L. Brooks' Classics

Comparisons with the director's finest works only underscore the shortcomings of Ella McCay. While Terms of Endearment and As Good as It Gets brilliantly combined witty dialogue with poignant human drama, Ella McCay offers only a pale shadow of its former mastery.

The humor is heavy-handed and the dramatic twists are predictable and insincere. The conflict between career ambitions and family duty, as well as the theme of accepting the past, are handled so superficially that they fail to evoke empathy.

Ella McCay is merely a series of awkward situations the main character finds herself in, lacking a coherent narrative or emotional progression.

What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'Ella McCay'?

• Ella McCay has 23% from critics and 57% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.

• On IMDb, the movie has a score of 5.1/10.

• On Letterboxd, Ella McCay scored 2.5/5.0.

Where to Watch 'Ella McCay'?

Ella McCay is available to stream on Hulu.