News Summary

• Julianne Moore’s unflinching and unhinged performance gives glimpses of Cassavetes’ “Opening Night,” a messy woman making the lives or jobs of others tumultuous yet rich.
• Halle Bailey succeeds in all of her scenes in a way that deems her underutilized.
• There is an undertone of simplicity to the story, yet this small-theater, small-town story molds itself into a semblance of genuine community and belonging that we, particularly Mona, all long for.