Alex Vlack’s The Revisionist has all the elements of a great comedy of manners before reverting to something quite obviously foreshadowed in the film’s opening scenes. Perhaps having that context will give some extra gravity upon rewatching, but it’s still a shame the film didn’t stick to what could have been a refreshing satirical character study had it played things more straight. This is a rare case where a risk derails what might have been something brilliant, had it developed in a less-convoluted, more conventional way.
Elise (Alison Brie) stars as a novelist-turned-academic who finds herself coaching her husband Jacob (Tom Sturridge)—an advertising-man-turned-biographer—as he attempts to write about his father David (Dustin Hoffman). David is a legendary raconteur who refuses to share his stories with his son. He is more comfortable, as most are, with John (André Holland), the charming ex-lover of Elise and best friend of Jacob. John arrives so perfectly on cue that it’s shocking his last name isn’t MacGuffin. Having been away from their college town for years on his own adventures, John returns without a job or a plan, yet somehow manages to seduce everyone.
Here is where The Revisionist—premiering in a festival full of documentaries not just authorized by the celebrities they chronicle, but also produced by their camps—could have satirically dug into the concept of the “authorized” biography. Jacob promises his publisher access that David refuses to give. Instead, John agrees to tape-record David’s stories once they start hanging out, turning those recordings over to Jacob until John is presented with an offer from the past that he can’t refuse.
Meanwhile, Elise brings John in to guest-lecture at the college, where he offers words of wisdom to an aspiring class and helps a student develop a story that seems to drag in the middle. John seems to have that effect on everyone he encounters, even encouraging a receptionist at The New Yorker to never give up, despite the fact that he has seemingly ghosted his friends and the literary world for at least 15 years.
While individual scenes—especially those with David and John—outshine the A-story of Jacob and Elise struggling to find their voices, what feels like a fatal flaw in the moment is actually part of the design in Vlack’s script. Making the leap from the world of nonfiction and museum exhibitions into feature filmmaking, Vlack is no stranger to colorful, interesting characters with stories worth telling. There are moments that are smart and insightful about the creative process, even if the plot takes several turns as Elise seeks David’s advice on when to cross ethical lines before eventually seducing the willing John. If John and David’s friendship seems unbelievable and forced… well, that is by design.
The Revisionist is ultimately a film about the control of the creative process filled with individual moments that open fascinating possibilities the film doesn’t quite fulfill. It relies on obvious plot twists that ultimately suggest a rushed first draft—which is, again, by design. This is perhaps the least-interesting part of the creative process: the early drafts that are generally buried on a laptop before they are fully fleshed out.
Had Vlack kept to the initial satirical scenario, it might have worked beautifully. The elements, including a top-notch cast, are all here for a smart comedy of manners about a brilliant man who resents his dull son and would rather have his story told by a charming guy on his wavelength. The creative process is instead put on display in a way that feels more tedious than innovative as Elise engages in her own form of wish-fulfillment while straddling ethical lines. Once I figured out where it was going, I started losing interest. That is a shame, because The Revisionist is strongest when it is observing David’s orbit—a legend who knew everyone, sleeps late, and offers you a Negroni at 11:00 AM. The creatives around him are quite dull, even if they have nearly perfect lives; perhaps the point is that certain academics can lose touch when chasing authenticity in the least-authentic way possible.
The Revisionist premiered at the 2026 Tribeca Festival.