REVIEW: Beautiful Boy

Directed by Felix Van Groeningen
2018 Drama
2 hours
From Amazon Studios

Starring
Steve Carell
Timothée Chalamet
Maura Tierney
Kaitlyn Dever
Amy Ryan
Timothy Hutton

My sole reason for going to see this film was Timothée Chalamet.  After seeing him in three films last year, I was blown away by the raw talent of one so young.  I determined then and there that I would catch all his work if at all possible.  And there I was the first one in the theater at my 11 a.m. showing, all perky and ready to go.

I had doubts early on that I would enjoy another film about drug addiction and was clear that had Chalamet not been a part of it that I would have skipped this one.  The truth is, of course, does anyone really enjoy a movie about drug addiction?  There can be some interest in how the story is laid out, whether it provides hope or how it works out in the end but enjoyment is a stretch.

Beautiful Boy is based on two novels, one by the former addict himself, Nic Sheff, and the other by his father, David Sheff, who stood by his son year after year.  As touching as I found that fact, I admit that when it ended I found myself somehow wanting more.  What specifically I was looking for I am not sure, but I know I wanted something that separates this film from others in the genre and I did not find that.

The story is equally about father and son and there is never any doubt about their love for one another.  The son's crystal meth addiction is something he cannot get control of, no matter how hard he tries, how many rehab stints he has or how much his father (and divorced mother) love him.  He's a sweet boy who also cares about his half brother and sister and his stepmother.  

The father recognizes his son's sickness and goes beyond what I suspect most parents would do to upright things again.  He studies incessantly, seeks help, he goes to his son every time he falters and he has the patience of Job.  That is one of my favorite aspects of the story... a loving parent.

What is not one of my favorite parts of the story is why so much of the middle is told in such a non-linear fashion.  I loathe it when filmmakers do this, always done to be clever and different and it is so annoying.  Likewise there's the foolishness of going from, let's say, scene 12 to 13, back to 12, back to 13 and then proceeding on.  Why?

The best thing about the whole affair is the acting.  My new BFF, Chalamet, is quite good but it is Carell who carried the film and shows, once again, what a good dramatic actor he is.  I also found Maura Tierney as the stepmom to be a strong asset.

I am not so high on the direction of the film for reasons already outlined and because I think it ultimately lacked a central punch and was far too repetitive.

I did love the family home and the numerous shots of San Francisco.


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