‘Merrily We Roll Along‘ Film Captures Broadway Magic, Transcends ’Filmed Theater’ Label
LOS ANGELES – The film adaptation of Stephen Sondheim and Hal Prince‘s musical “Merrily We Roll Along,” captured during its Tony-winning Broadway run at the Hudson Theater last year, arrives in wide release Friday, Dec. 5, proving to be more than a simple recording of a stage performance. Starring Jonathan Groff, Daniel Radcliffe, and Lindsay Mendez, the film presents the story of three New York creatives-a composer, a lyricist, and a writer-whose decades-long friendship unfolds in reverse chronological order.
The movie, rated PG-13 for drug use, some strong language, and smoking, runs 2 hours and 30 minutes. Critics note the film’s intimate feel, achieved through camera work and editing that “collapse distance and time,” allowing the actors’ performances and Sondheim’s songs to take center stage. The narrative begins at a “glitzy Hollywood hills party in 1976” wiht Frank (Groff) as a disillusioned producer, mary (Mendez) as a struggling writer, and Charlie (Radcliffe) as a reserved lyricist, then moves backward to reveal the origins of their bond.
The film is especially lauded for the actors’ portrayals of their characters’ transformations, with Groff tracing “an unlikable guy to his idealistic origins,” Radcliffe’s face softening “from judgmental colleague to wide-eyed hopeful,” and Mendez peeling back “layers of unrequited love.” Krystal Joy Brown and Katie rose Clarke also deliver powerful performances as the wives impacted by Frank’s ambition.
The film’s trajectory culminates in a ”softer, melancholy landing” with the 1957 finale, “Our time,” a contrast to the typical “splashy crescendo.” This adaptation arrives ahead of a separate, long-term cinematic rendering of the musical being filmed by Richard Linklater in a style similar to his 2014 film “Boyhood.”
