This is a TV biopic of James Dean. It starts with director Elia Kazan (Enrico Colantoni) egging Dean on as he keeps rubbing Raymond Massey the wrong way. Then it goes back to his childhood as he loses his beloved mother. His cold distant father Winton (Michael Moriarty) would abandon him to other family members. He would never get the approval from his father that he craves so much. He would ascend through the acting world in NYC and Hollywood as well.I'm not a big enough Dean fan to know how much truth is in this picture. However there is no denying that James Franco is the perfect guy of his generation to play the guy. It's much more than mimicry. He is channeling his spirit somehow or at least his public persona. He is really the rebel without a cause. The production is OK for a TV movie. The style is old school and functional. Watch it for Franco's performance.

James Dean is a biographical TV movie based on the life of the American actor of the same name. James Franco plays James Dean under the direction of Mark Rydell, who chronicles Dean's rise from a struggling actor to an A-list movie star in 1950s. The film also features Michael Moriarty, Valentina Cervi, Enrico Colantoni, and Amy Rydell.James Dean is a made-for-cable biography that looks at the star's short but troubled life, his years of struggle before his sudden rise to fame, and the car crash that took his life at the age of 24.During his all- too-short career,James Dean helped to radically redefine the way teenagers were portrayed on screen,and the expressive naturalism of his performances did more to establish the "method" school of acting in the public mind than any other actor outside of Marlon Brando. The TV movie is an enjoyable feature as it tries its best to bring to the viewer the life of the legend and icon,James Dean.Although the movie lacks the energy needed to keep it interesting,engaging and absorbing,the film still manages to hold on into its own despite its shortcomings.But nevertheless,it would still be enjoyed by many James Dean fans.

James Franco did a completely spectacular job in James Dean and with the performance he gave he has really set the bar for all actors everywhere, from the past and for years to come. I have a lot a trouble believing anyone will ever be able to beat that performance and he really made me open my eyes to him. In my opinion he is the greatest actor the world has ever seen and I have a feeling no one will ever be able to change that. Not only did he become my favourite actor after seeing the movie but at the same time I've become jealous that someone could have so much talent. Keep up the good work Jimmy, many people are excepting great things from you now. Three words - "James is King."

My only negative comment about the film is that I thought the various Hollywood personnel of the time (early 1950s) could have been somewhat more realistically impersonated (for a better job see, for example, "RKO 281"). I suppose in real life Dean did display an aura of shyness and inattentiveness, and performed cartwheels and pratfalls in the presence of others. POSSIBLE SPOILER, although I'm sure that just about everyone reading this knows how Dean died. The automobile accident at the end is not exploitative but is depicted in vague and extreme slow motion. Had I not known better I would have assumed early on in the film that Dean would die from lung cancer, as he is shown in almost every scene with a cigarette dangling from his lips.