Movie review
November 11, 2022 · 151 min · PG-13
Woke Score
Lower is better
Review
The Fabelmans follows a young Jewish boy’s passion for filmmaking as his family falls apart over his mother’s affair. Antisemitic bullying from Christian jocks shows up in high school but stays locked in the 1950s-60s setting. No girlboss rebellion, no identity politics sermons, no modern activist lectures on systemic anything. The narrative sticks to personal family drama and the power of movies with zero forced diversity or representation pushes.
Breakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for The Fabelmans.
Woke representation / casting
Casting fits the historical Jewish family setting with no forced diversity.
Woke political dialogue
No activist or modern political dialogue.
Identity-driven story themes
Jewish identity and period antisemitism appear personally but without modern activist reframing.
Western institutional / cultural critique
No modern activist critique of Western institutions, patriarchy, or capitalism.
Woke character or canon changes
Not relevant
Production
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
No woke complaints or backlash claiming identity politics or propaganda.
Creator track record context
Writer Tony Kushner has activist history but it shows limited alignment with this film’s personal focus.
