Aaron Burns' James Stewart biopic Jimmy arrives November 6, 2026, with KJ Apa playing the Hollywood legend. The film opens with Stewart and Frank Capra discussing It's A Wonderful Life and then flashes back five years to Stewart's Oscar win and his eventual decision to serve as a pilot in World War II, against MGM head Louis B. Mayer's wishes.
The film struggles with its execution. Director Burns relies heavily on AI-generated backgrounds that undercut emotional moments. One scene has Stewart and a fictional character, Lady Julia (Kara Killmer), transition from a realistic USO party to dancing in front of a bomber plane against a purple sky. Another sequence showing Stewart on a motorcycle helping downed pilots is filmed so poorly it becomes difficult to follow.
Screenwriter Justin Strawhand's script turns Stewart into a character who explains everything he thinks, while other characters remain shallow despite the film's attempts to address war, death, and PTSD. The screenplay leans into biopic cliches, including rousing speeches to soldiers and dramatic irony about It's A Wonderful Life's legacy. One scene shows dead Army buddies returning to cheer Stewart on behind the camera while he films the classic movie.
The performances amplify the problems. Apa plays Stewart with a campy interpretation of his "aw shucks" persona and long-limbed clumsiness, escalating into an uncontrolled breakdown in the final quarter. The supporting cast follows suit. Max Casella gives an overexcited impression of Capra. Jason Alexander plays Mayer as a comic figure. Sarah Drew initially leans into Hedda Hopper as a straw-villain gossip columnist, though the film later humanizes her. Rob Riggle and Christopher McDonald provide cooler, more grounded performances as military figures.
Burns and Strawhand previously collaborated on the low-budget Western Birthright Outlaw, which gave little indication they could handle a story of Stewart's scale.