Rotten Tomatoes
Submit search Movies Tv shows RT App News Showtimes

The Debut

Play trailer 2:24 Poster for The Debut R In Theaters Dec 11 1h 45m Comedy Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
Tomatometer 9 Reviews Popcornmeter 0 Verified Ratings
When Mona Friedman is cast in a bit part at a small community theater, she transforms from a shy, unassuming housewife into a zealous method actor willing to do anything to protect the artistic integrity of her marginal role--even if it means waging war against the show's domineering director.
Coming Soon In Theaters Dec 11 Notify Me

Cast & Crew

View All

Jesse Eisenberg

Director

Julianne Moore

Mona Friedman

Paul Giamatti

Jerry

Halle Bailey

Actor

Jesse Eisenberg

Actor

Cara Buono

Cassie

Critics Reviews

View More
Cortlyn Kelly IndieWire 3h
B
Eisenberg bolsters the platform and power of community theaters, and in doing so, he successfully showcases appreciation for the small spaces that birth future stars. Go to Full Review Angie Han The Hollywood Reporter 12h
Maybe it’s not everything it could be. But as I howled over the lengths Mona would go to for the sake of what Jerry unkindly but accurately points out is, in the end, just some “thankless tertiary character,” it felt like more than enough. Go to Full Review Owen Gleiberman Variety 14h
At heart, the film is a twisted love letter to the glory of community theater. What holds it together is the suppleness of Eisenberg’s voice as a writer-director, and the utterly astonishing performance of Julianne Moore. Go to Full Review Joey Magidson Awards Radar 12h
3.5/4
The Debut is a magnificently entertaining and absurd work from Jesse Eisenberg with a superb Julianne Moore turn. Go to Full Review Daniel Howat Next Best Picture 13h
7/10
While not everything works as flawlessly as it did in "A Real Pain," Eisenberg clearly has leveled up as a director and is full of admiration for anyone who can dig deeper and pour themselves out for their art. Go to Full Review Gregory Ellwood The Playlist 14h
A
While still fashioning a narrative with broad appeal, Eisenberg throws in a touch of surrealism and avant-garde filmmaking that evokes David Lynch, Leos Carax, and early Lars Von Trier. But the result feels completely original. Go to Full Review Read all reviews
View All

The Debut

The Debut: Trailer 1 The Debut: Trailer 1 2:24 Now Playing View more videos
View All

The Debut

View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis When Mona Friedman is cast in a bit part at a small community theater, she transforms from a shy, unassuming housewife into a zealous method actor willing to do anything to protect the artistic integrity of her marginal role--even if it means waging war against the show's domineering director.
Director
Jesse Eisenberg
Producer
Jesse Eisenberg, Ali Herting, Dave McCary, Emma Stone
Screenwriter
Jesse Eisenberg
Distributor
A24
Production Co
A24, Fruit Tree, Topic Studios
Rating
R (Brief Drug Use|Some Sexual References|Language)
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Dec 11, 2026, Limited
Runtime
1h 45m
Join The Newsletter Join The Newsletter Cookie Settings