Beautiful Boy | Film Review

Hey Guys x

I was supposed to watch and review this film so long ago that it's embarrassing. I kept planning to watch it, but then something else always took precedence. And then I think that, because I assumed that the film would be really emotional, I wanted to mentally prepare for it - and apparently that took about a year to do!

Nic Sheff (Timothée Chalamet) has a whole life in front of him when he becomes addicted to meth. An addiction that quickly spirals out of control and leads Nic into the repetitive cycle of rehab, recovery and relapse. David Sheff (Steve Carell) does everything he can to bring his son back from the edge, but David soon realises that if he wants to save Nic, he has to let Nic save himself.

I thought this was a great movie.

By the way it's filmed, from the first moments on screen you know that what's coming is about to break your heart, and it absolutely does.

There's so much power in the way the story is being told - we get to know so many different versions of these characters (particularly Nic) at the same time, and it's really effective. We feel like we know him really well almost as soon as the film begins.

The score is another thing about the film that's done really well. Even when it seems jarring, it still works with the scene that it is playing beneath - and this also goes for the soundtrack, which is beautiful.

My absolute favourite scenes of the movie were the ones when just Carell and Chalamet were on screen. Their chemistry and the way they played off of each other was so beautiful and poignant, it really elevated the film.

The film uses flashbacks in an amazing way. It makes this complex story, and these complex characters, a bit easier to understand. And I feel like this understanding is particularly important for Carell's character. If you don't understand why he is fighting so hard, the whole premise is lost.

The film really pushes how important it is to have a support network, and to have people around you. Not only is this important for Nic, but it's also extremely important to see the support network of the people around him, and how his struggle impacts them.

The film also does a great job of showing the repetitive cycle of relapse. It feels so real and raw - we want answers for this character, we want instant recovery, we want to put him in a box that helps us understand - but life doesn't work that way, and neither does the film.

Overall, unconditional love is a theme that runs through this film so closely that it practically holds every scene together. This is a powerful movie that everyone should watch. And weirdly enough, I didn't realise how much I liked it or how much of an impact it had on me until I was writing this review - it's one that will be on your mind even if you think it's not.

8/10

Lou - https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/