NOW IN THEATERS! In Memoriam, from writer/director Rob Burnett, stars Marc Maron as Langston Stanfield, a once-celebrated actor who is now only getting guest-star roles on television shows. A check-up at his doctor’s office reveals that he’s got terminal Stage 4 cancer. The grim diagnosis has him thinking about his legacy, and with six months left to live, he has one main objective: to be remembered at the Oscars.
Langston decides that his first step is to go see his manager, Walter (Michael McKean), to see what his chances are. He discovers the big hurdle, and the person who is influential in those decisions is Jeremy Marvin (Alan Ruck). The most unfortunate thing about that is that Langston, in one of his many failed marriages and relationships, stole Jeremy’s wife, Vicky (Sharon Stone), from him, and Jeremy is still bitter about it.
It is recommended that Langston go see Samantha (Lily Gladstone), a therapist, to help him cope with his feelings for the time he has left. She doesn’t sugarcoat his illness, and there’s just enough tough love to have him really think beyond his desire for the Oscars. This leads him down the path of making amends. He goes to see his former wife, Chelsea (Judy Greer), who is the mother of his only child, Maura (Talia Ryder), whom he’s never known. An accidental encounter with Maura sparks a sudden relationship between the two. As Langston chases his goal of being remembered at the Oscars, he discovers the woman his daughter is becoming and maybe the impact he can have on her life before he dies.
“A check-up at his doctor’s office reveals that he’s got terminal Stage 4 cancer.”
The film had me reminiscing about last year’s Jay Kelly, and there’s even a running George Clooney joke in this. There is a commonality between the two films regarding actors and their legacies. My real issue with that one is that it felt like George Clooney was playing himself, but I couldn’t wrap my head around the flawed character he was portraying. I never knew Marc Maron, the podcaster or comedian, until I discovered Marc Maron the actor from his Netflix show, GLOW. I became a big fan and continued to watch all his projects. I was always excited about the roles he selected because he would vanish into them, and that was the same for In Memoriam. He made me believe that he once was a great film actor who is now relegated to little bit-part TV roles.
There’s this great build-up throughout the film surrounding Langston’s relationship with Vicky (Sharon Stone) and the film they co-starred in, and when we finally see the two reunite, we can absolutely understand the chemistry they must have had in their heyday.
If I’m talking about Maron’s scene with Sharon Stone, then one of the biggest strengths of this film is the casting, from Michael McKean to Judy Greer and, even more so, Lily Gladstone. Gladstone, whom I’ve only seen do straight dramas, adds just enough subtle comedic delivery as Maron’s therapist to make me want to see her in a real comedy. But the real standout in the film is Talia Ryder as Maura. She plays this bright, fun character who’s just happy to get to know her long-lost parent. The relationship between Langston and Maura becomes the true heart of the film. If you were tuning in for Maron and his solo journey, watch the duo and see Ryder steal their scenes and shine.
In Memoriam screened at the 2026 Tribeca Festival.
"…She doesn't sugarcoat his illness…"
