Hollywood has always been obsessed with itself. Just look at the last decade—there are tons of movies about the industry in every genre you can think of, from historical dramas to funny satires to biopics. Misty Green is the newest addition to that pile, marking Chris Rock‘s fourth feature that he wrote and directed. I wanted to see this mainly because of the lead actress, Rosalind Eleazar, who’s terrific in AppleTV’s hit series Slow Horses. Those unfamiliar with Eleazar would likely be surprised that she’s British, as her American accent is so convincing. She has put in serious work on stage and has had some smaller parts in films, but I’m thrilled she’s finally getting her moment to shine.

Eleazar portrays Misty Green, a talented actress whose career has stalled years after her Hollywood breakthrough. Rock opens with a stylized photographic montage of Los Angeles, shot by DP Kira Kelly. It shows the City of Angels shown as decaying and dilapidated instead of the glamorous image we often see in movies. The striking montage of high-contrast photographs captures grimy streets, homeless settlements scattered across the Hollywood Walk of Fame, with glimpses of Misty woven throughout, highlighting her glory days at the height of her fame.

But the moment we meet Misty, she’s facing eviction from her upscale beachfront Santa Monica condo, where she’s been crashing for the past four years. After Misty’s boyfriend—her financial sugar daddy—died, his widow Celine (Amy Landecker) inherits everything and is absolutely furious when she discovers her late husband’s mistress has been living there for free. Celine wants Misty out immediately, but in a bit of comical irony, she gets a bit starstruck when she spots an Emmy sitting on the shelf and realizes Misty’s the star from the hit TV show Red Eye. Hence, Celine gives Misty a week to pack up and leave.

There are echoes of this indie film The Addiction of Hope, where Anne-Marie Johnson portrays a black actress deemed ‘past her prime’ whose roles have dried up. Misty’s in a pretty similar predicament—she’s been grinding in the industry for years but keeps getting stuck in the shadow of her hit show. One would think that someone like Misty makes a ton of money from her hit TV show, but yet she’s completely broke. There’s even a moment where her best friend and fellow actress Naomi (Anna Kendrick) wonders aloud about how Misty could possibly be struggling financially. 

Rock explores how hollow celebrity power becomes when you’re desperately clawing for a comeback. It’s painful watching Misty’s steep fall from grace, even if it’s mostly her own fault for burning too many bridges. She goes from an Emmy-winning show to humiliating auditions with young actresses half her age. One of the auditions is for Rock’s character, Jordan Green, a film director who’s working on a remake of Dreamgirls. Eleazar showcases her powerful vocal chops, and her rendition of One Night Only is quite mesmerizing.

The movie also digs into how celebrity culture is fundamentally transactional. Missy is so desperate for cash that she’s willing to take on sketchy gigs just to get by. Adam Driver brings on the sleaze as a failed director that Misty occasionally hooks up with. Zach’s basically fueling her drug habit while pimping her out to wealthy clients overseas. The Dubai scene is particularly disturbing, as a filthy rich emir throws a gladiatorial-type competition where hired women fight with each other for expensive jewelry, cash, and the ludicrously pricey Birkin bags.

Eleazar portrays Misty with confidence and vulnerability, effortlessly commanding our empathy despite being a complete train wreck. Misty Green is the quintessential cautionary tale about the elusive and fleeting nature of fame—something we’ve definitely seen before. Familiar territory can still feel fresh with the right script, but Rock’s writing is far from rock-solid. The core concept is promising, and he’s got an amazing lead actress, but the writing is flimsy and tends to wander all over the place. Maybe he’s trying to mirror Misty’s turbulent existence through a structurally chaotic, tonally inconsistent story, but it’s tough to sit through.

The movie is at its best when it’s focused on Misty, but Rock is prone to overindulging and kills the momentum with his snappy one-liners and sarcastic takes on race as if he’s performing his stand-up routine. Even Misty looks baffled by his remarks, which don’t really connect to what she’s dealing with. There’s a scene where Jordan launches into a drawn-out rant about Misty’s self-destructive behavior. Sure, Misty could benefit from some solid advice to turn things around, but the way he delivers it here just comes off as self-righteous—like he’s wagging his finger at her from a moral high ground.

Rock gets the most screen time as a supporting character, while talented actors like Driver, Kendrick, and Daniel Kaluuya—who plays Misty’s brother Jay dealing with bipolar disorder—get stuck with thin, one-dimensional roles. Rather than diving into a meaningful look at mental health, Rock uses Jay as a clunky commentary about racial profiling. It’s a shame to watch these high-caliber actors so underutilized, though Driver at least seems to be having fun as a smarmy Hollywood type.

There is a good movie somewhere in this, but Rock gets in the way by throwing too many different ideas at the wall instead of just sticking with Misty’s journey. That said, Eleazar totally saves the day and makes Misty Green actually worth watching. She’s truly the main reason to watch this movie. Fingers crossed this movie opens doors for her to land more prominent roles down the line.

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