Review of Ben Is Back (2018) by Tvjerry — 11 Jan 2019

While "Beautiful Boy" examined the relationship between a young addict and a parent over several years, this one approaches the same subject in the span on one nite, Christmas Eve (and I liked it better).

Lucas Hedges play the son, who comes home from rehab to be with his family. When things take the inevitable turn, he and his mother (Julia Roberts) set out to right them. The approach is expectedly and relentlessly grim, but it's made engrossing by the performances and intelligent filmmaking.

Hedges creates another nuanced character and Roberts gives her most moving performance, as she embodies a mother's desperate concern. Writer/director Peter Hedges (yes, Lucas' father) has crafted the work with a dramatic intensity that creates a compelling examination of addiction, recovery and most importantly, familial love.