[A] perfectly light comedic soufflé that is not intimidated by its characters' darker undercurrents.

Thank God for Being Julia, an Oscar-worthy comeback role that may just save one of our most gifted actresses from a life of way too much leisure.

Watching Being Julia is like seeing a racehorse with an impeccable bloodline trudging across the finish line with the rest of the pack instead of out in front of it

There have been loads of comedies set in the world of theater, but few have the uncompromising, hard edge this film has.

Annette Bening shines with a glow that is beyond confidence and beyond beauty. She picks up the sometimes-clunky material and carries it on her shapely shoulders.

The film desires to be a biting statement on the stage and real drama. It's misguided script fails to do either.

Bening great in otherwise prosaic film

Smeared by a very childish ending ... But there is that Bening performance to savor.

While the film isn't quite perfect, it's close enough – especially in Annette Bening's glorious lead performance – that it seems churlish to complain.

Being Julia is strangely devoid of the one thing every great film needs: a hook.