‘Jimmy’ review: KJ Apa can’t save James Stewart biopic

Like its subject himself, an aura of decency permeates the new drama depicting the war years in the life of actor Jimmy Stewart. The fact that Stewart’s daughter is an executive producer gives a clue that Jimmy will be a loving homage rather than a warts-and-all biopic. And since director Aaron Burns and screenwriter Justin Strawhand’s previous credits include the religious drama Birthright outlawIt’s no surprise that the film places a heavy emphasis on faith and military patriotism.

But these aspects do not constitute the real problems of the film, which simply does not prove convincing despite a first-rate performance from KJ Apa (Riverdale, I still believe) as Stewart and a moving portrayal of the post-traumatic stress suffered by the actor after the war experiences that fueled his harrowing performance in It’s a wonderful life. Feeling much longer than its two hours, it has an episodic, plodding quality that makes it more reverent than inspired.

Bookended by scenes involving this 1946 Frank Capra classic, the story essentially begins in 1941 with Stewart at the top of his Hollywood game after winning the previous year’s Oscar. History of Philadelphia and enjoy romances with stars such as Ginger Rogers (Jemma Donovan).

His life changes dramatically when he is drafted into the army. Although eager to serve and follow in the footsteps of his military veteran father (Neal McDonough), he is convinced by MGM boss Louis B. Mayer (Jason Alexander) to let the studio bail him out. When he is described as a coward in the writings of gossip columnist Hedda Hopper (Sarah Drew, Grey’s Anatomy), Stewart followed his instincts and enlisted. The military wants him primarily for propaganda purposes, but Stewart, an experienced pilot, is determined to serve and, after being sent to England, manages to convince Colonel Terrill (a much underrated Rob Riggle) to let him fly B-24 bombers. During his distinguished deployment, he flew 20 combat missions, received numerous decorations and rose to the rank of colonel.

But his wartime service comes with an emotional price as Stewart is tormented by the loss of many men under his command and must tackle the task of writing letters of condolence to their families. For comfort, he turns to the British Lady Julia (Kara Killmer), a character who serves as a composite of the various women with whom Stewart had romantic relationships before his marriage. (And if reports about the actor known as “The Great American Bachelor” are to be believed, any composite has plenty of reason to live up to it.)

Hampered by the low budget, the film’s war sequences are not striking. Jimmy becomes much more interesting when Stewart returns home after the war and is offered the role of George Bailey by his frequent collaborator and fellow military veteran Frank Capra (an excellent Max Casella). He is initially consumed by insecurity and doubts about his ability to play the role, but encouraged by director and co-star Lionel Barrymore (Christopher McDonald), he eventually manages to channel his trauma into his now iconic performance.

The best aspect of the film is Apa’s lead performance, who doesn’t sound much like Stewart but conveys his essence and stunning appeal with perfect body language and voice impersonation. Never falling into mere mimicry, he delivers a moving twist that draws us fully into the character – although it can’t compete with the five minutes of real-life footage of Stewart that accompanies the end credits, vividly reminding us of his enduring appeal.