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Scarlett Johansson faces tough reviews in director debut
The Freeman
|May 23, 2025
Scarlett Johansson faced some tough initial reviews for her debut film as a director after it premiered in front of a VIP-packed crowd at the Cannes film festival on Wednesday.
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Actors heading behind the camera is something of a trend in Cannes this year, with "Twilight" star Kristen Stewart and British actor Harris Dickinson also showcasing their first features.
Johansson appears to have found the transition more difficult than her contemporaries, with several critics' views on "Eleanor the Great" likely to make difficult reading for one of Hollywood's most bankable stars.
Film bible Variety called it "an unconvincing crowd-pleaser", The Hollywood Reporter said it was "wobbly" and Britain's Guardian newspaper critic called it "frankly odd" in a two-star review.
Screen was more positive, however, saying online "streamers should come calling", while The Times in London said it had "the jackpot combination of being tear-inducing and laugh-out-loud funny."
This story is from the May 23, 2025 edition of The Freeman.
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