Top News
‘Beautiful Boy’ is deeply flawed but a must watch film
By Subhash K Jha
Film: “Beautiful Boy” (Amazon); Director: Felix Van Groeningen; Starring: Steve Carell, Timothy Chalamet; Rating: ***(3 stars)
There is so much that this heart-shattering drama about a distraught father coping with his son’s drug addiction could have done. Instead “Beautiful Boy” plays it safe. It casts Timothee Chalamet as Nic Sheff, a teenager trying to shrug-off his addiction even as he sinks lower and lower into the abyss of drug abuse.
Chalamet takes care of all the sympathy that the plot needs to muster for us to go along with his nerve-wracking journey into self-destruction. The film is based on Nic Sheff’s account “Tweak: Growing Up on Methamphetamines” as well as his father David Sheff’s “Beautiful Boy: A Father’s Journey Through His Son’s Addiction”, so we ought to have been provided with a spectral double view of a family tragedy that unfolds over a period of several years during which time the young addict’s life comes apart at the seams.
Soon, as I watched the honest but not memorable film, I realized this is not Nic’s story. It is his father’s story of coping with a crisis of unimaginable proportions as his family life falls apart. How much of himself can David Sheff give to his son’s problem before giving up the fight? The film, in its own somnolent style, shows us the threshold of parental patience. And Steve Carrell is fine if not memorable, as the father. This is more his story than his son’s.
It’s easier to follow the father’s steps as he moves further and further away from his son’s emotional axis. There are sequences that are designed to bring us close to tears. But we never get that close to the characters to feel their pain. The emotional responses never emerge organically from the plot characters.
Carrell and Chalamet playing the estranged father-son routine seem to say all the right things to each other with just the right pauses and punctuations. It’s almost like watching them do a translation of the real emotions in digestible terms.
I missed a sense of unrehearsed spontaneity in the dialogues. In addition, the unhurried pace and the repetitive mode of unveiling the inherently-dramatic dysfunctionalism (drug addict comes home, disappears, comes home) makes “Beautiful Boy” more remarkable for what it sets out to say rather than the way it says it.
Not that the film is without its moments. In some sequences we see Nic’s naked anguish as he stares blankly into his own future. Chalamet, so effective as a man-boy discovering gay love in “Call Me By Your Name” is deeply effective though not as impact-driven as Lucas Hedges in “Ben Is Back” , that other recent more powerful drama of a parent coping with the son’s drug addiction.
“Beautiful Boy” is riddled with problems, none of which are related to the protagonist’s drug addiction. It jumps back and forth, impatiently creating a breach between the characters, their problems and our empathy for them.
But the background score is magnificent. The narrative uses insistent pounding rock sounds to echo Nic’s psyche and settles down for a quieter musical statement at the end when all options for redemption are exhausted.
So, to be honest, are we.
–IANS
skj/sim/vm
Top News
Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.
Foodman Vishal Singh Honored for Hunger Free World Mission in Bangkok
Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
Cheers and Cheers: Barzilla’s Joyful Ode to Inclusivity and Celebration
Casino Days Reveal Internal Data on Most Popular Smartphones
Meghalaya Reserves Legalized Gambling and Sports Betting for Tourists
IPL 20202 UPDATE: KXIP vs MI IPL Dream11 Team Prediction for Today Match, Update Point Table of all Team.
In a Live debate AAP leader Syed Asad Abbas hurls abuses to BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma.
‘India’s Most Wanted’ trailer out Arjun Kapoor on hunt of Osama-Bin-Laden
Time to move on: Sonakshi on Shatrughan’s joining Congress
