Beautiful Boy (2018)
Director: Felix van Groeningen. 2hrs (120 mins). (15)
Drama
Star Rating: 3/5 worth watching
Summary
Journalist David Sheff (Steve Carell) lives a happy and comfortable life with his bright teenage son Nick (Timothee Chalamet) by his first marriage, second wife Karen (Maura Tierney) and their two adorable young children.
One day, Nick disappears for several days and when he returns it is obvious to David he has been using drugs.
Rehab, whilst initially successful, soon gives way to a prolonged period of recover and relapse. Throughout the long years of Nick’s illness, David sticks by him – but how long can his tolerance last?
Review by @Reelreviewer
As spelled out in the closing credit titles - in tiny font, bizarre given the magnitude of the issue they describe - drug addiction in the US is a massive problem.
In this film, based on a real-life story, you get an emotional insight into the difficulties of continuing to give unconditional parental love when a child frequently and spectacularly relapses from narcotic recovery.
Steve Carell and Timothee Chalamet put in sterling, tear-inducing performances as the Sheff's whose journey to getting 'clean' is along the bumpiest of roads, riddled with (if you'll excuse the pun) some mighty pot holes.
Beautiful Boy isn't the best movie about this subject, there have been smarter and flashier efforts that manage not to alienate most of the cast (Requiem For a Dream, for instance), but you'll at least get its drift loudly and clearly.
For more, read the full review: http://bit.ly/beautifulboyfilm
Cast & credits
Amazon Studios/Big Indie Pictures/Plan B Entertainment.
Producers: Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Brad Pitt.
Writers: Luke Davies, Felix van Groeningen.
Camera: Ruben Impens.
Music: Bob Bowen et al.
Sets: Ethan Tobman.
Steve Carell, Timothee Chalamet, Maura Tierney, Amy Ryan, Timothy Hutton, Oakley Bull, Christian Convery, Amy Aquino.
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