PARK CITY – In a world of seemingly endless chaos, where queer people all over the world have to fight harder than ever not to have their human rights torn away, it’s somewhat difficult to critique a movie such as Sopie Hyde‘s semi-autobiographical “Jimpa.” Especially after the horrifying executive orders signed by the new resident of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue earlier this week. A timely selection for the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, this is a film whose heart is in the right place even if it still leaves you wanting.
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Based on Hyde’s family history, “Jimpa” is a portrait of the sometimes stark generational differences between queer people and a woman who has never really come to terms with her father abandoning her when she was just 13 years old. The Jimpa in question (John Lithgow, still pushing boundaries at a spry 79), has spent over three decades building a chosen family of like-minded gay and lesbian friends in Amsterdam. His daughter Hannah (Olivia Colman, incredible as always), is making a rare trek from her home in Adelaide, Australia, along with her non-binary child Frances (captivatingly portrayed by Hyde’s offspring, Aud Mason-Hyde) who idolizes their grandfather from afar. Frances’ father Harry (popular Aussie actor Daniel Henshall), is also tagging along and is concerned that his wife is somewhat laissez-faire about the 16-year-old Frances’ intention to spend a few years living with Jimpa overseas. While Hannah is perhaps the epitome of a socially liberal, understanding parent, she also knows her father. She is convinced Frances will soon realize on their own what a mistake this decision would be.
Upon arriving in Holland, the trio is whisked into Jimpa’s seemingly fabulous life. He has friends, lovers, and colleagues who seemingly adore him. But the truth is partially hidden behind Jimpa’s charismatic façade. He is only a few years removed from suffering a major stroke, years of anti-viral HIV medications have taken their toll on his body, and, in his early 70s, is being systematically forced out of his teaching job at a local university.
Immediately charmed by this welcoming city, Frances experiences her first short love affair with 19-year-old Isa (Zoë Love Smith, quite good), one of Jimpa’s students (or a friend of one, it’s unclear). It’s a tangential storyline that only serves to frame young love, but it’s well handled even if you see where it’s headed a mile away. More importantly, and partially what Hannah predicted, Frances is increasingly taken aback by what we can only describe as their grandfather’s gay “boomer” views. Jimpa is vocal that he doesn’t believe bisexuality exists, a common refrain from a generation that had to fight for gay and lesbian rights for decades. He also continually puts his foot in his mouth when referring to Frances’ own sexuality and gender identification. He’s not the ideal political advocate they put on a pedestal from half a world away.
Meanwhile, Hannah, an established film director, is working on a film inspired by her father and his unconventional relationship with her mother in the 1970s. For decades, Hannah has believed her mother decided to stay in Australia and raise her and her sister instead of following Jimpa abroad. It takes a conversation between Jimpa and Frances for the truth to come to light (ah, family secrets). This revelation is supposed to shake Hannah but seemingly doesn’t. And that’s at the core of the problems with a screenplay, co-written by Matthew McCormack, that lacks almost any urgency.
Early on in the movie, Hannah is in the middle of a Zoom with an actor in discussions to play a much younger version of her father in her own production (Cody Fern playing himself). Having read the script, he starts questioning where the conflict in the story is, and Hannah insists that it isn’t as important as the portrait at the center of the story. And, in impressively executed flashbacks, we witness how unique Jimpa was. In his early 20s, he came out as a gay man and decided to stay married to his wife to raise his two children. He and Hannah’s mother developed a platonic, open relationship to make that happen which was very unusual for the time. It’s a self-aware moment that doesn’t really solve the issue of how low the stakes are across the board. Granted, that’s Hyde’s artistic choice, but that means the proceedings tend to drag despite the best efforts of her cast.
Frustratingly, Hyde and Matthew McCormack’s script also features endless conversations that simply don’t sound natural in this context. A perfect example finds Hannah and Frances having lunch with a group of Jimpa’s peers. These are men who savor their memories of dancing at discos in the ‘70s and somehow made it through the AIDS crisis in one piece. How they speak with Jimpa and Frances is a combination of pronounced exposition and endless cliché (at least what you would expect for gay men of this era). And when Jimp and his friends bicker, it all feels performative, a sharp contrast to the grounded performances from Colman and Mason-Hyde, in particular.
Admirably, McCormack and Hyde want to explore generational differences, but when the “old gays” begin to sing “Don’t Leave Me This Way” by Thelma Houston, it’s somewhat cringeworthy even if it awkwardly ties into a moment later. But, again, this is all being painted on a canvas of kindness and understanding. You’re sort of glad anyone is talking about these issues in a film with such prominent talent in 2025.
What keeps “Jimpa” from collapsing on itself is Colman’s steady turn (don’t forget, she’s so talented she was the only compelling aspect of Marvel Studios’ disastrous “Secret Invasion”) and Matthew Chuang’s wonderfully lush cinematography. Amsterdam is a naturally beautiful city, but his work is so impressive it will make you seriously consider moving there. He, along with production designer Bethany Ryan and costume designer Renate Henschke also collaborate on a superb job recreation of multiple eras in both Adelaide and Amsterdam as the film dips more and more into Jimpa’s eventful life story.
As it nears its end, Hyde can’t quite transform “Jimpa” into the tearjerker it’s been telegraphing for a good hour or so. But she does make you care for these characters. You’re rooting for Frances’ future. You want Jimpa to continue his wild adventures for another decade or more. And Colman and Lithgow are so exquisite you forget the Australian accents they barely started with have completely faded. And these perilous times, that’s got to mean something. [C+]
