When Mona Friedman (Julianne Moore) is cast in a small part in a community theater production of the musical Nosy Neighbors, she transforms from a shy, unassuming housewife into a zealous method actor willing to do anything to protect the artistic integrity of her marginal role—even if it means waging war against the show’s domineering director (Paul Giamatti).
After 2024’s moving and humorous triumph A Real Pain, actor-writer-director Jesse Eisenberg crafts this delightfully witty and affecting story of a suburban woman’s intense creative awakening. As always, Julianne Moore delivers a captivating performance, infusing the absurdity of Mona's obsessive pursuit with empathy, while Giamatti is perfectly cast as the haughty theater veteran. Laugh-out-loud funny with a touch of the bittersweet, The Debut is an immensely clever film about the creative process and a smartly told comedy about finding oneself.
Music Box Theatre screens films of all genres and from every era of cinema, both new releases and repertory. These films may sometimes contain upsetting, outdated, or offensive material. While we aim to introduce many of our screenings, we do not always provide warnings about potentially triggering content within the films we screen. We encourage our patrons to research the film before they attend using trailers, reviews, or content information found on Common Sense Media, IMDb and DoesTheDogDie.com.
Recommended Films
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