Everybody’s Talking About Jamie is a biographical coming-of-age musical comedy-drama film made by Jonathan Butterell (in his feature directorial debut) in 2021, based on the stage musical of the same name and adapted from the BBC Three documentary Jamie: Drag Queen at 16. Sarah Lancashire, Lauren Patel, Shobna Gulati, Ralph Ineson, Adeel Akhtar, Samuel Bottomley, Sharon Horgan, and Richard E. Grant appear alongside newcomer Max Harwood.
Following a postponement of a planned theatrical release by 20th Century Studios due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie was released in select theaters across the United States on September 10, 2021, followed by a worldwide streaming release via Amazon Studios on Amazon Prime Video on September 17, 2021. Positive feedback has been received for the film.
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie (2021) Synopsis
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie is based on actual events and follows Jamie New (Max Harwood), a Sheffield youngster who dreams of a career on stage. Jamie considers disclosing his hidden professional desire to become a passionate and proud drag queen, while his peers prepare their futures after graduation.
While local drag icon Miss Loco Chanelle (Richard E. Grant) trains him toward his debut stage performance, his best friend Pritti (Lauren Patel) and his loving mother (Sarah Lancashire) provide him constant support. Jamie, on the other hand, has to deal with an unsupportive father (Ralph Ineson), an uninspired career counselor (Sharon Horgan), and a bunch of naive school kids who try to put a damper on his amazing success. Jamie and his community inspire one another to overcome prejudice, be more welcoming, and move out of the shadows into the forefront via rousing and colorful musical performances.
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie (2021) Movie Info
| Directed by | Jonathan Butterell |
| Screenplay by | Tom MacRae |
| Based on | Everybody’s Talking About Jamie by · Dan Gillespie Sells · Tom MacRae |
| Produced by | · Mark Herbert
· Peter Carlton · Arnon Milchan |
| Cinematography | Christopher Ross |
| Edited by | Mark Everson |
| Music by | · Anne Dudley
· Songs: · Dan Gillespie Sells · Tom MacRae |
| Production companies |
· 20th Century Studios (uncredited)
· Regency Enterprises · Film4 Productions · Warp Films · New Regency |
| Distributed by | Amazon Studios |
| Release date | · 12 June 2021 (Frameline)
· 10 September 2021 (United States) · 17 September 2021 (Worldwide) |
| Running time | 115 minutes |
| Countries | · United Kingdom
· United States |
| Language
Genres |
English
Biography, Comedy, Drama, Musical |
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie (2021) Cast
- Max Harwood as Jamie New / Mimi Me.
- Noah Leggott as young Jamie
- Sarah Lancashire as Margaret New
- Shobna Gulati as Ray.
- Ralph Ineson as Wayne New
- Adeel Akhtar as Iman Masood
- Samuel Bottomley as Dean Paxton
- Sharon Horgan as Miss Hedge
- Richard E. Grant as Hugo Battersby / Loco Chanelle
- John McCrea as young Loco Chanelle
- Charlotte Salt as Cheryl
- Ola Jide/Son of a Tutu as Sandra Bollock
- Gareth Joyner as Myra Dubois
- Dan Wallace/Anna Phylactic as Tray Sophisticay
- Bianca Del Rio as herself/Ms. Haylock
- Layton Williams as a dancer
- Jamie Campbell/Fifi La True as “Door Whore”
- Margaret Campbell as the shop owner
Production
The film’s release date was set for May of this year. Richard E. Grant, John McCrea, Sharon Horgan, Sarah Lancashire, and Shobna Gulati, as well as newcomer Max Harwood, joined the cast in June 2019, with Jonathan Butterell, the original stage director, making his feature film debut from a script by Tom MacRae. Regency Enterprises, Film4 Productions, and Warp Films would produce the film, with 20th Century Studios handling distribution.
Filming
On June 24, 2019, principal photography commenced in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England.
Release
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the film was initially planned to be released on October 23, 2020, however Disney, the parent company of 20th Century Fox, postponed it to January 22, 2021. It has been rescheduled for February 26, 2021. However, it was later taken from the release schedule. The film’s domestic theatrical release was canceled in May 2021, and the distribution rights (except China) were sold to Amazon Studios. It was later scheduled for release on Amazon Prime Video on September 17, 2021.
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie had its world debut on June 12, 2021, as part of the Frameline Film Festival’s San Francisco Pride event.
In the United States, it was released in select theaters on September 10, 2021.
Reaction
The film garnered mostly good feedback. The film has a 77 percent approval rating on review aggregate Rotten Tomatoes, based on 66 reviews with an average rating of 6.7/10. “It may not be as effervescent as its title character, but Everybody’s Talking About Jamie remains an infectiously enjoyable musical with an uplifting message,” the website’s critics consensus reads. Metacritic gives the film a 62 out of 100 rating based on 20 reviews, indicating “generally favorable reviews.”
“There’s ample pleasure, feisty resilience, and charming comedy on tap that should be especially infectious for young LGBTQ audiences, or anybody with experience of outsider stigmatization,” said David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter.
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie Release Dates
| USA | 12 June 2021 | (Frameline Film Festival) (premiere) |
| USA | 13 August 2021 | (Outfest Los Angeles) |
| UK | 20 August 2021 | (Edinburgh International Film Festival) |
| UK | 10 September 2021 | (limited) |
| Germany | 13 September 2021 | (Mongay) |
| Hungary | 14 September 2021 | (Humen Film Festival) |
| USA | 14 September 2021 | (Image Out Film Festival) |
| Argentina | 17 September 2021 | (internet) |
| Australia | 17 September 2021 | (internet) |
| Brazil | 17 September 2021 | (internet) |
| Canada | 17 September 2021 | (internet) |
| Germany | 17 September 2021 | (internet) |
| Spain | 17 September 2021 | (internet) |
| France | 17 September 2021 | (internet) |
| UK | 17 September 2021 | (internet) |
| Ireland | 17 September 2021 | (internet) |
| India | 17 September 2021 | (internet) |
| Italy | 17 September 2021 | (internet) |
| Japan | 17 September 2021 | (internet) |
| Mexico | 17 September 2021 | (internet) |
| Poland | 17 September 2021 | (internet) |
| Portugal | 17 September 2021 | (internet) |
| Sweden | 17 September 2021 | (internet) |
| USA | 17 September 2021 | (internet) |
Also Known As (AKA)
| (original title) | Everybody’s Talking About Jamie |
| Argentina | Todos hablan de Jamie |
| Australia | Everybody’s Talking About Jamie |
| Brazil | Todos Estão Falando Sobre Jamie |
| Bulgaria (Bulgarian title) | Всички говорят за Джейми |
| Canada (English title) | Everybody’s Talking About Jamie |
| Canada (French title) | Tout le monde parle de Jamie |
| China (Mandarin title) | 变装皇后杰米 |
| Czechia | Všichni mluví o Jamiem |
| Denmark | Alle taler om Jamie |
| Estonia | Kõik räägivad Jamiest |
| Finland | Kun kaikki puhuvat vain Jamiesta |
| France | Tout le monde parle de Jamie |
| Germany | Alle reden von Jamie |
| Greece | Όλοι Μιλάνε για τον Τζέιμι |
| Hungary | Mindenki Jamie-ről beszél |
| India (English title) | Everybody’s Talking About Jamie |
| India (Hindi title) | Everybody’s Talking About Jamie |
| Indonesia (Indonesian title) | Semua Membicarakan Jamie |
| Ireland (English title) | Everybody’s Talking About Jamie |
| Italy | Tutti parlano di Jamie |
| Latvia | Visi runā par Džeimiju |
| Lithuania | Visi kalba apie Džeimį |
| Malaysia (Malay title) | Semua Orang Bercakap Tentang Jamie |
| Mexico | Todos Hablan De Jamie |
| Norway | Alle snakker om Jamie |
| Philippines (English title) | Everybody’s Talking About Jamie |
| Poland | Wszyscy mówią o Jamiem |
| Portugal | Todos Falam Sobre o Jamie |
| Russia | Все говорят о Джейми |
| Singapore | Everybody’s Talking About Jamie |
| Slovakia | Všetko o Jamiem |
| Spain | Todos hablan de Jamie |
| Taiwan | 蝴蝶少年：傑米 |
| Turkey (Turkish title) | Herkes Jamie’yi Konuşuyor |
| UK | Everybody’s Talking About Jamie |
| USA | Everybody’s Talking About Jamie |
| Vietnam | Mọi người nói về Jamie |