‘Lilly': ‘Erin Brockovitch' Lite
In 'Lilly,' writer-director Rachel Feldman tells the story of trailblazer Lilly Ledbetter (Patricia Clarkson), a pioneer from humble beginnings who took her employer, Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co., to court on the basis of gendered pay discrimination.
While the influential legacy of Lilly Ledbetter (whose contributions toward equal pay fight resulted in the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009) deserves celebration, this earnest and heavy-handed biopic is more focused on its message than on Lilly. Sadly, her legacy doesn't receive the polished and sophisticated biopic treatment it deserves.
Unequal Pay
Lilly spent two decades as an Alabama tire factory supervisor before discovering in 1999 the extent of her unequal pay compared to her male colleagues. After filing a lawsuit for discrimination, she became an underdog crusader for the issue, learning difficult lessons along the way about corporate manipulation of the justice system, and the influence of political lobbyists.
Lilly Ledbetter (Patricia Clarkson) at work in the tire factory in "Lilly."
Blue Harbor Entertainment
Co-writer-director Rachel Feldman's biopic feels more a rushed docudrama. In it, everything is spelled out for the audience by both the characters within the story and one expert who exists outside of it—the late Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
It's likely Ginsburg's writing on Ledbetter's case resulted in Congress passing new legislation to address inequality of pay. The late judge was obviously an expert on the case, an impassioned and wise advocate for gender equality, and a fine storyteller, but making her the narrator immediately makes one wonder if the filmmakers wouldn't have rather made a biopic about Ginsburg and not Lilly.
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Throughout, a few scenes communicate Lilly's personal life. There's her relationship with her husband, Charles (John Benjamin Hickey), who at first resents his wife's decision to start working to supplement their meager income, but who eventually becomes her constant advocate over the years. Also, there's her strained relationship with her wayward son (Will Pullen). Lilly loves to dance, that is, until a work 'accident' severely injures her leg.
Clarkson ('The Station Agent') displays Lilly's feisty tenacity but is ultimately forgettable in this tonally confusing narrative. Lilly remains little more than a representation of the legal fight and activism that happened around her. There must have been much more to the real Ledbetter than this movie portrays, but it's ultimately sabotaged by the intrusive, edited archival material and curious stylistic choices. Although well-intentioned, the film overall lacks subtlety and surprise.
Promotional poster for "Lilly."
Blue Harbor Entertainment
'Lilly'
Director: Rachel Feldman
Starring: Patricia Clarkson, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, John Benjamin Hickey, Will Pullen
MPAA rating: PG-13
Running Time: 1 hour, 33 minutes
Release Date: May 9, 2025
Rating: 2 1/2
st
ars out of 5
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