Stars: Julia Roberts, Lucas Hedges, Courtney B. Vance, Kathryn Newton, Rachel Bay Jones, David Zaldivar, Alexandra Park, Michael Esper, Tim Guinee, Myra Lucretia Taylor, Kristin Griffith, Jack Davidson, Mia Fowler, Jakari Fraser, Cameron Roberts | Written and Directed by Peter Hedges
Ben is Back, directed by Peter Hedges, faces strong competition in this year’s “Armageddon vs Deep Impact” cinematic war/rivalry against Felix van Groeningen’s Beautiful Boy. Two incredibly alike films that follow a parent and drug-addicted son relationship in the emotionally tormenting journey that both travel on. Peter Hedges film stands firmly on its own ground with a semi-captivating drama that hits with a suffocating gut punch of emotionally draining brutality but gets lost on the path it travels with excessively dramatic plot elements that are executed more in the realm of the absurd than captivating.
The unnecessary plot elements, while not destructive to the films overall narrative or resonance of emotional depth,...
Ben is Back, directed by Peter Hedges, faces strong competition in this year’s “Armageddon vs Deep Impact” cinematic war/rivalry against Felix van Groeningen’s Beautiful Boy. Two incredibly alike films that follow a parent and drug-addicted son relationship in the emotionally tormenting journey that both travel on. Peter Hedges film stands firmly on its own ground with a semi-captivating drama that hits with a suffocating gut punch of emotionally draining brutality but gets lost on the path it travels with excessively dramatic plot elements that are executed more in the realm of the absurd than captivating.
The unnecessary plot elements, while not destructive to the films overall narrative or resonance of emotional depth,...
- 3/25/2019
- by Jak-Luke Sharp
- Nerdly
Today we are recognizing Ben Is Back, as well as writer/director Peter Hedges, plus co-stars Lucas Hedges and Julia Roberts. Our Hollywood Film Tributes recognize films and talent for their excellence in the art of filmmaking. One of the most powerful films of 2018, Ben Is Back is a masterclass in actors bringing out emotion in the audience. Hedges and Roberts combine for some very special work. At the same time, the elder Hedges crafts a beautiful showcase for his son. It’s one of 2018’s best and most underrated movies, that’s for sure… A sampling from our rave review last month: There’s a special little alchemy on display in Ben Is Back, a wonderful new film hitting theaters this week. You see, in the director’s chair is filmmaker Peter Hedges, while in one of the central two roles is his son, Lucas Hedges. Each has done strong work in the past,...
- 1/17/2019
- by Joey Magidson
- Hollywoodnews.com
There are quite a number of memorable moments peppered through Ben Is Back, an impressively effective addiction drama written and directed by Peter Hedges, starring his son Lucas Hedges as Ben Burns. All of these moments involve Julia Roberts, who in middle age seems to be finding a new gear in her acting arsenal. Quite plainly, she has never been better than she is here. Watching her flex is a joy, though the proceedings may be quite painful to sit through.
Playing Holly Burns, Roberts is carrying the weight of everything. It is Christmas and her adult son Ben has shown up from sober living unannounced with a worrying smile on his face. Happy though she is with having Ben for the holidays, Holly quickly hides all the pills and jewelry in the house while her daughter Ivy (a great Kathryn Newton) refuses any sort of optimism about the situation,...
Playing Holly Burns, Roberts is carrying the weight of everything. It is Christmas and her adult son Ben has shown up from sober living unannounced with a worrying smile on his face. Happy though she is with having Ben for the holidays, Holly quickly hides all the pills and jewelry in the house while her daughter Ivy (a great Kathryn Newton) refuses any sort of optimism about the situation,...
- 1/9/2019
- by Dan Mecca
- The Film Stage
There’s a special little alchemy on display in Ben Is Back, a wonderful new film hitting theaters this week. You see, in the director’s chair is filmmaker Peter Hedges, while in one of the central two roles is his son, Lucas Hedges. Each has done strong work in the past, but here they bring out the best in each other. When I haven’t even mentioned the commanding turn by Julia Roberts, you know this is good stuff. Together, the three of them make this among 2018’s finest works. It will contend for a spot on my year end top ten list. The movie is a family drama about a teenage drug addict home for the holidays. It’s Christmas Eve and Holly Burns (Roberts) is wrangling her two young children, while older daughter Ivy (Kathryn Newton) performs in a church choir show. When they return home, they...
- 12/4/2018
- by Joey Magidson
- Hollywoodnews.com
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