What risks are you willing to take and which boundaries are you willing to cross for your career and family? Misty Green (Rosalind Eleazar) has an unconventional way of navigating life as a struggling actress that might make you appreciate your traditional routine.
Misty Green begins and ends with onscreen text about chasing “the bag”. It’s both a metaphorical and literal symbol of financial success that can refer to a salary or Birkin bag. Hopefully Misty Green puts materialism into perspective for Birkin bag owners who ought to feel like fools. If you made a major professional comeback, would you really want to celebrate with a designer purse or something more meaningful?
Ultimately, Misty’s best lifestyle choice is fitness classes. She can’t afford rent, but she always finds a way to pay for cardio lessons. Her friend Naomi (Anna Kendrick) often tags along.
Anna Kendrick is always delightful and it’s surprising to see her in a supporting role here, especially as she stars in another TIFF movie called Babies with Seth Rogen. She serves as Misty’s confidante and sounding board who also helps Misty film self-tapes for auditions. However, her romantic subplot doesn’t contribute enough weight compared to the rest of the movie.
On the flip side, it was so exciting to see my favourite comedian Tom Papa pop up as Misty’s doctor. He tells Misty he’s a fan of her acting and I’m a fan of seeing him more often! What a fun surprise. Hopefully he’ll continue collaborating with writer, director and actor Chris Rock. It was also nice to spot Amy Landecker, who looked so sophisticated compared to her role in For Worse.
The movie could’ve benefited from some backstory about Misty’s family, but her childhood flashback vignettes are unclear. Was there supposed to be context around why her brother Jay (Daniel Kaluuya) loves family-centric reality shows like The Kardashians?
Jay is a likeable guy, but his affinity for practical jokes with fake spiders is bizarre. It’s an unusual way to portray his struggles with bipolar disorder because they’re disconnected. There’s a key storyline about his mental health, but too much of his screen time is occupied by childlike pranks.
Chris Rock captures a unique, darker side of actors chasing dreams in Hollywood. It was interesting to see Misty Green and Closing Night back to back because they both revolve around what happens behind the scenes in actors’ personal lives. One minute Misty Green is doing a happy dance on a studio lot and then visiting her brother in jail. Likewise, Sarah Paulson transitions from the stage to the hospital in Closing Night.
Misty Green is an edgy movie with a remarkable way of showing how Misty’s investment in fitness pays off. However, some light polish could lead to stronger gains for this drama.
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I previewed this film as part of the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).