When audiences hear the term “method actor,” they often picture a male performer so consumed by a role that he forgets how to be a decent human being, excusing his bad behavior as simply part of the artistic process. Perhaps the most infamous method actor working today is Jared Leto, who has developed a reputation for taking the practice to extreme and controversial lengths. His most notorious method-acting “quirks” include reportedly sending live rats, used condoms, and a dead pig to his Suicide Squad co-stars. He also reportedly insisted on using a wheelchair while filming Morbius, allegedly taking more than an hour to use the bathroom and verbally lashing out at those who criticized him for delaying production.
This intense approach to acting has been most heavily associated with male actors, while its use among actresses has received far less common. Notable examples include Meryl Streep using elements of the Method in The Devil Wears Prada, as well as Anne Bancroft and Jane Fonda incorporating the technique at various points throughout their careers. So what happens when a woman with no acting experience, in the midst of a midlife crisis, signs up for a play and goes full Method in an attempt to find her purpose in life? Look no further than Jesse Eisenberg’s latest feature, The Debut.
When we first meet Mona Friedman (Julianne Moore, Still Alice), she is far from what you would call a Method actress, let alone a theatre actress. The last time she sang was in a church choir when she was 12 years old. Years of being an overlooked and underappreciated housewife have left her a shell of her former self, turning her into a nervous wreck who lacks confidence and self-worth. With her children preparing to leave for college, she signs up for a local production of Noisy Neighbors. The production’s director, Jerry (Paul Giamatti, The Holdovers), makes no secret of his disdain for Mona after she bombs her audition.
However, when the local star unexpectedly drops out of the production, Mona is given the role. She is ecstatic, but still a nervous wreck. Her castmates and the crew shower her with support, while Jerry makes his complaints about her known to everyone. Knowing that Mona, in her current state, is woefully unprepared for the role, Jerry begins working with her one-on-one to determine whether she has any acting talent, let alone the singing chops needed for the part. These sessions begin to reveal the talent that has been buried inside Mona for decades. However, nothing could have prepared Jerry for the acting monster he has just unleashed.
The Debut is both a love letter to and a satire of the theatrical arts. Through the film, Eisenberg highlights the warmth and welcoming nature of the theatre community. How the community will have your back and support you, no matter how badly you bomb an audition or how poorly you sing and dance. He also explores how the arts can help people heal, find a sense of purpose, and discover where they belong. Ultimately, The Debut presents theatre as a place where everyone, regardless of their background or experience, can find a sense of community and belonging.
However, Eisenberg also satirizes the theatre scene by poking fun at method actors. When Jerry unlocks the talent buried inside Mona, it initially feels like a dream. Mona grows more confident in the role, her vocal chops begin to shine, and she finally starts to embrace her potential as a theatre star, breaking free from the confines of her life as a housewife. However, as rehearsals continue, Mona becomes increasingly consumed by her role. She stays in shady hotels and attempts to fix their plumbing. She steals clothing and mechanical equipment. She becomes a nuisance on set, refusing to follow the script and having a breakdown whenever someone calls her out on her bullshit. The more deeply Mona immerses herself in the role, the more she begins to lose herself.
However, it wouldn’t be an Eisenberg film without a bit of nuance to Mona’s character. Prior to auditioning for Noisy Neighbors, Mona effectively had no life of her own and little sense of identity. She is a forgotten and underappreciated housewife who has devoted her entire life to taking care of her family, only for them to barely acknowledge her existence. So when she lands a role in the musical, it gives her not only validation but the attention she has desperately craved for most of her life. She latches onto the role out of desperation, but that newfound sense of purpose eventually consumes her. Mona is both sympathetically tragic and deliriously unhinged. A combination that only the great Julianne Moore could capture. Moore is pure brilliance in the role, delivering a performance that could very well earn her a second Oscar.
Eisenberg finds an almost perfect balance between a heartwarming story about the healing power of the arts and a darkly hilarious satire about the lengths actors are willing to go to “nail” a part. While not every joke lands, The Debut is at its best when it lets Moore and Giamatti tear into each other, resulting in a series of never-ending screaming matches that are as ridiculous as they are hysterical. Yet beneath all the chaos, drama, and method acting madness is a genuinely heartfelt story about finding yourself, reinventing yourself, and finally learning to live free of other people’s expectations. The Debut is brilliant, subtle, sincere, and absolutely hysterical, anchored by two phenomenal performances Julianne Moore and Paul Giamatti. And then there are the songs, all of which are written by Eisenberg himself, adding yet another filmmaking talent to the ever-growing list of things he apparently knows how to do. In the end, The Debut is a wonderful reminder that sometimes the best way to find yourself is to completely lose yourself in something else.
My Rating: A-
The Debut comes to theatres December 11th.
The Debut had its international premiere at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival.
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