The Son | Film Review

I hadn't heard much about this film before seeing it, but I had seen the filmmaker's other movie, 'The Father' and loved it, so I was very interested in seeing this one.

Peter's (Hugh Jackman) perfect life with his wife and new baby gets upended when he finds out that his teenage son (Zen McGrath) is depressed.

This was actually better than I thought it would be.

The cast was great - the film stars Hugh Jackman, Zen McGrath, Vanessa Kirby and Laura Dern.

Some of the performances felt disingenuous at times, as did some of the dialogue.

The film is a really interesting look at family dynamics and relationships. Even if we don't take into account Nicholas's (mostly unnamed) depression, it is great watching the way that the relationships between the old and new family change.

It moves really slowly. This works sometimes, but there are some scenes that feel like they drag on a bit too long.

The film allows you to reflect on your own life - particularly if you end up watching it with your parents/children.

It is powerful and emotional but didn't pack the punch that it needed to for it to be an effective piece of drama about depression. 

Overall, this is a powerful, if actually quite depressing, film about mental health and family, with an engrossing set of characters at the centre. It wasn't everything I wanted it to be, but it's definitely worth a watch.

6.5/10