“Jimmy” A Heartfelt, Emotional Tribute to the Beloved Actor

“Jimmy,” the untold true story of America’s most beloved actor and the iconic role that saved him, focuses on the most transformative season in Jimmy Stewart’s life - from winning the Academy Award for Best Actor in “The Philadelphia Story” to enlisting and becoming a combat pilot in the US Army Air Corps at the beginning of World War II.

He flew twenty missions over Europe, rising to the rank of Colonel by the end of the war, only to return home broken and disheartened. Then George Bailey and “It’s a Wonderful Life” came calling …

If you’re a fan of the one and only Jimmy Stewart, then I highly recommend you check this film out. The film is an inspiring, clean, feel-good film and lead actor KJ Apa delivers a great portrayal of the beloved actor.

Even though I’m not familiar with actor KJ Apa, the actor really knocks it out of the park as Jimmy Stewart. Apa does an outstanding job capturing Stewart’s iconic cadence and physical mannerisms without reducing the role to a cheap impression or caricature, portraying the famous voice as an emotional mask for a deeply vulnerable man.

One aspect of the film that I thought was really compelling is the film’s focus on Stewart’s real life military service -  a pivotal, lesser known chapter of his life where he stepped away from A-list stardom to fly combat missions over Europe. The aerial sequences and depictions of leadership under fire brought fresh appreciation for his personal sacrifices. It’s also incredibly moving seeing a classic, beloved American icon experience the exact same paralyzing mental health battles as other soldiers made the film feel deeply human and highly relatable.

The best portion of the film is its emotional third act, which connects Stewart’s PTSD and wartime trauma directly to his return to Hollywood. I truly felt moved by how this film framed his iconic performance as George Bailey in 1946’s “It’s a Wonderful Life” - showing how his real life pain and search for hope infused the character’s famous bar scene and mental anguish with raw, cathartic power.

This film also delivers some truly stand out sequences that will have people talking about once they see the film. Director Aaron Burns frames the European air war entirely from inside Stewart’s cockpit, keeping the focus tightly on his perspective as a commander.

The most intense combat sequence involves Stewart leading a dangerous bombing run over Nazi-occupied Europe under heavy flak and fighter fire. The claustrophobic tension of watching him attempt to keep his squadron formation intact - punctuated by the sheer terror

of losing planes in his unit - highlights the physical and mental weight he bore in the sky.

There’s another pivotal moment featuring Lionel Barrymore who played Mr. Potter. As Stewart struggles with panic attacks and self-doubt during filming, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” Barrymore steps out of his villainous onscreen persona to offer a warm, comforting pep talk that helps steady Stewart and pull him through his darkest emotional moment on set.

The overall audience response for “Jimmy” has been overwhelmingly positive, striking a stronger chord with moviegoers than with professional film critics. While critics were somewhat split over its conventional, faith-infused storytelling, everyday viewers embraced the film as an inspiring and deeply respectful tribute to James Stewart’s life and military service.

Cast: KJ Apa (James Stewart); Max Casella (Frank Capra); Kara Killmer (Lady Julie); Neal McDonough (Alexander); Julian Works (Martinez); Sarah Drew (Hadda Hopper); Jason Alexander (Louis B. Mayer); Rob Riggle (Terrill); Christopher McDonald (Lionel Barrymore); Jemma Donovan (Ginger Rogers); Jen Lilley (Gloria Stewart)

Writer/director: Justin Strawhand (writer); Aaron Burns (director)

MPA: Rated PG-13 for some war violence/bloody images, thematic elements and smoking   (running time 2 hours) 

• Karolyn Grimes, who has a cameo in the film, appeared as Zuzu Bailey at the age of six in It's a Wonderful Life (1946), starring the real James Stewart.

• James Stewart's daughter Kelly Stewart praised KJ Apa's portrayal of her father, "I was thrilled, because the problem with somebody playing Dad... was that you don't want to sit there and listen to a Jimmy Stewart impersonation for two hours. And dad has such a distinctive way of speaking. It's hard not to do an impersonation, but KJ channels him and brings him to life without doing a Jimmy Stewart impersonation. So I don't see how they could have found anybody better."

• James Stewart's daughter Kelly Stewart has a cameo in the film, and served as executive producer.