MOVIE TITLE:     Waltzing with Brando

This bio/drama/comedy releases in theaters on September 19, 2025.

Rating: R

LENGTH:  1 hour 44 minutes

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You can grab a copy of the book this movie was based on at Amazon: https://amzn.to/3Hrw1jk

IN A NUTSHELL:

Set in the stunning landscapes of the late 1960s Tahiti, Waltzing with Brando tells the charming, funny, and inspiring true story of silver screen icon and Academy Award-winning actor, Marlon Brando, portrayed beautifully by Billy Zane. He’s paired with the progressive, sustainably-minded Los Angeles-based architect Bernard Judge (played by Jon Heder) as they attempt to build the world’s first sustainable paradise on the remote, uninhabitable island of Tahiti’s Tetiaroa. With a stellar cast and unforgettable characters, the film is a celebration of audacious dreams, ecological innovation, and human resilience.

The film was written and directed by Bill Fishman. It was adapted for screen from the book Waltzing with Brando: Planning a Paradise in Tahiti by Bernard Judge. Bill Fishman and Billy Zane also helped produce the film.

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

• We see some topless women on the island.
• We see the naked backsides of men and women.
• Kids will mostly be bored.
• Some profanity and F-bombs
• Lots of alcohol
• A lot of French is spoken, as well as a native language on the island.

THEMES:

• Ambition
• Environmentalism
• Stewardship
• The human spirit
• Business
• Friendship
• Trust
• Respect
• Resilience
• Innovation

THINGS I LIKED:

•  The production of the film included actor Billy Zane’s company. He has the starring role of Marlon Brando and does an absolutely fantastic job. Zane’s physical metamorphosis into Brando is nothing short of uncanny. Thanks to impeccable makeup and hairstyling, he embodies the star not just visually but in manner and magnetism, making multiple viewers do a double take, including me! The film is on the 97th Academy Awards shortlist of movies qualifying for Best Makeup and Hairstyling. When asked in an interview by Variety magazine’s Matt Donnelly how he tackled the task of representing the legendary actor, he stated, “Early on, I figured the only way to approach this seemingly impossible or daunting task was to approach it as he would—which would be to not really give a shit. I hate to say it. I could fill you with all sorts of actor-y explanations, but really, that mindset served me immediately.” Way back when Billy Zane appeared in the 1989 movie Dead Calm, people began calling him the next Marlon Brando. Clearly, he took that to heart!
• Whenever I think of actor Jon Heder, I think of the quirky classic Napoleon Dynamite. My family still quotes lines from that movie even though it came out 21 years ago!
• It’s always great to see Richard Dreyfus in anything. I’ve been a huge fan my whole life.
• Other cast members include Tia Carrere, James Jagger, Alaina Huffman, Camille Razat, and Rob Corddry.
• What makes this movie fun is that it’s based on a true story! I learned a lot about Brando that I never knew before.
• The movie was filmed in Tahiti, Morea, and Tetiaroa where the real events actually occurred.
• We learn and see a different side of Marlon Brando. When Billy Zane spent quite a bit of time with Marlon Brando’s real-life family and people who worked with the actor, he discovered that Brando loved practical jokes, was funny, and was curious about many things. He was one of the first activists in Hollywood, especially when it came to conservation and civil rights. Some would even say he was the godfather of environmentalism. If younger generations don’t know who Marlon Brando was, they’ll still be interested in watching a Hollywood icon work to protect our planet in such a loving, determined way.
• Billy Zane described the movie as a love letter to Tahiti, its people, and to Marlon Brando, himself. In a nod to Brando’s beloved Tetiaroa, 5% of the film’s proceeds are pledged to benefit the island’s residents. You can learn more or make a donation at www.TetiaroaSociety.org
• I was surprised how much humor was in the film.
• The movie breaks the 4^th wall over and over, which is kind of fun and entertaining.
•  Cinematography by Garrett O’Brien delivers sumptuous recreations of iconic scenes from The Godfather and Last Tango in Paris, setting them alongside sun-drenched Tahitian landscapes.
• The contrast between Hollywood glamour and tropical escape is striking.
• Keep watching during the final rolling credits to see some lovely images of the island’s stunning nature.

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

•  It’s hard to know which bits are true or embelished. For example, Brando talks about powering his island with electric eels. He also tries to extract drinkable water from his own urine. Does anyone know if those really happened?
• For some, the tone’s lightness can appear to undercut the dramatic potential of Brando’s inner struggle and environmental pursuits. I didn’t mind it, personally. He loved to joke around and pull pranks on people, so to me, it absolutely fit his personality.
• I don’t like the pink and red movie poster that has been circulating. Do you? A poster highlighting the beautiful blues and greens from the islands would illustrate the film’s content and magic better. This newer, yellow movie poster features small pics that illustrate some of the famous roles he played, as well convey the multifaceted man that Brando was.

FUNNY LINES:

•  “Oh! Everybody’s naked.” –   Bernard Judge      (Jon Heder)

INTERESTING LINES:

• “I’ve come to realize that I am not worthy of all the attention directed to me by the public.” – Marlon Brando (Billy Zane)
• “Bernie, your family is the most important project you will oversee.” – Marlon Brando (Billy Zane) 

Biopic MOVIES LIKE THIS about actors YOU ALSO MIGHT LIKE:

• Chaplin: https://amzn.to/46OYTfJ
• Frances: https://amzn.to/3UpXxR6
• Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story: https://amzn.to/3UZ2rom

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