Reviewed by Rama Gaind.
Writer/director: Peter Hedges, Roadshow Entertainment.
Cast: Julia Roberts, Lucas Hedges, Courtney B. Vance, Kathryn Newton.
Director Hedges takes us on an emotional rollercoaster ride where the nucleus of a family unit is tested to the core. The impact is doubly great because it’s over the festive holiday period when familial ties are meant to be at their happiest.
Watching Oscar-winner Julia Roberts (Erin Brockovich, Pretty Woman) at work, it’s easy to see why she’s the glue that binds this household.
When 19 year-old Ben Burns (Hedges, Boy Erased, Manchester by the Sea, Lady Bird) unexpectedly returns home on Christmas Eve his mother, Holly (Roberts) is overjoyed. She feels reassured and solemn, but also cautious about her son staying clean.
The plot follows Holly as she tries to help her addict son after he returns from rehab. The going is tough, however. Over a tumultuous 24 hours, new truths are uncovered, and a mother’s undying love for her son is tested as she does everything in her power to keep him safe.
At times her helplessness is evident. Though her relationship with Ben is the heart-and-soul of this film, you can feel the awkward tension in the air with his younger sister, Ivy (Newton) and Holly’s second husband (Vance) and their two children.
The film doesn’t suffer from the heavy themes, though the second half becomes a kind of thriller to solve a mystery resulting from Ben’s past misdemeanours.
There’s vulnerability about Ben’s role. He’s a charismatic young man who radiates a combination of enthusiasm and logical awkwardness.
Roberts’ acting is the reason this film stands out, and it makes an excellent foil for Luke’s anticipated lethargic vigour.
A highlight of the Blu-ray is the audio commentary with Hedges.
