Steven Spielberg's Most Personal Movie Is Still His Most Underrated

The Fabelmans, released in 2022, remains one of Steven Spielberg's most overlooked films despite earning seven Oscar nominations. Gabriel LaBelle plays Sammy Fabelman, with Michelle Williams and Paul Dano as his parents, and a notable turn from Seth Rogen; the film runs for almost two and a half hours and is beautifully shot.

Drawing directly on Spielberg's childhood, the story follows Sammy as his family moves to Arizona and then California after his father, an engineer, takes a new job, and later navigates his parents' divorce. The movie's most personal thread is Sammy's drive to become a filmmaker, inspired by a supportive mother figure based on Leah Adler and by early experiments like a toy-train film that reflected real fears.

Spielberg called making The Fabelmans cathartic, asking, "Has this been $40 million of therapy?" The film handles family breakdown with restraint and feeling.

the fabelmans, steven spielberg, gabriel labelle, michelle williams, paul dano, seth rogen, leah adler, oscar nominations, toy train, family drama