Beautiful Boy
Director: Felix van Groeningen
Year Released: 2018
Rating: 1.5
David Sheff (Steve Carell), a freelance writer, has a massive issue on his hands with his son Nic (Timothée Chalamet) who's heavy into drug use, frequently running away and disappearing for days at a time, which is testing not only Dad's patience but also that of ex-wife Vicki (Amy Ryan) and current spouse Karen (Maura Tierney). Movies about drug abuse have been abundant these days - which makes sense, since it's hit a lot of the U.S. (including where I live) - and as saintly as Carell's character is and pathetically damaged as Chalamet is, it follows the same pattern: periods of recovery followed by relapse, etcetera (it also doesn't offer anything about Nic's internal state aside from some drawings). Van Groeningen loads up the soundtrack with indie and pop songs Cameron Crowe-style to make it look like a music video, but it's more exhausting than piercing or insightful ... although at least it has a happy ending despite all evidence pointing towards doom.
