"[13] At Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 66 out of 100 based on 39 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Ben assures his mother that his sponsor had OK'd his return. Ben Is Back takes place in snowy, idyllic, small-town New York, and Ben comes from a family of comfort and means. And since Clayton is the last person Ben imagined as the culprit behind the break-in, he does not want Dolly to go there. Check out the new movie clip for Ben Is Back starring Lucas Hedges! When Holly loses Ben, she searches for him not unlike George C. Scott in Hardcore going into the seedy world of pornography to find his lost daughter. While holiday shopping at the mall, Holly runs into Ben's former doctor, now an old man with dementia. Ben (Lucas Hedges) has no father and has turned to overdependence on prescription medication. tipsy bartender emma break up; asl sign for coast guard These scenes are the most engaging, but that may be because they are action-oriented, and the characters have finally stopped freakin talking about their problems. SAMEER AL-DOUMY/AFP via Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- More than 10 months after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched an invasion into neighboring Ukraine, the two countries are engaged in a struggle for control of areas throughout eastern and southern Ukraine. The film eventually goes off in thriller-like direction with Ben and Holly searching for the family dog, which has been stolen by one of Bens former associates to whom he owes a debt. On the other hand, Ford Wheeler, the set decorator of Stranger Than Fiction fame, took up the role of production designer in the movie. Shes going to get clothes for him. Ben is back! A young man talks about being able to defecate regularly now that he is not using drugs. Filming also went underway in Garnerville, which was formerly known as Calicotown. If the thought has indeed crossed your mind, allow us to enlighten you. Stars: Dan Russell, Teresa Gallagher, Kerry Shale, Kyla Rae Kowalewski. Now, with Ben is Back, director Peter Hedges has created something a little bit different: a half-and-half movie with plenty of standard-issue addiction drama courtesy of Julia Roberts as a suburban mum trying to keep her 19-year-old son off opioids at Christmas.But other scenes are directed with the pure . The spacious house is bustling with excitement and preparations for the kids performances at Christmas Eve mass. A young man smokes from a vaping device in a few scenes (outside and in a car). Filming reportedly kicked off in late 2017 and continued through early 2018. Hedgess film may speak truths about issues of addiction and recovery, and the hell that addicts put their families through, but it cudgels viewers by having the characters talk about rigorous honesty" and truth as they obviously and ironically lie and connive. Ben and Mal is a romantic pairing, Ben is the son of Belle and Beast, and Mal is the daughter of Maleficent and Hades.. Peter Hedges, whose previous features as a director are Pieces of April, Dan in Real Life and The Odd Life of Timothy Green, keeps his sentimental tendencies on ice here. But part of her terror and ours, on her behalf comes from the sense that she is radically and brutally alone, and that the hundreds of thousands of parents in her situation are too. A man slams a passenger car window and pounds on the hood of the car as a woman and her son speed away. As per sources, a few scenes were even lensed at a property on Johnsontown Road, simply known as The Farm. But everywhere he goes hes confronted by life as an addict. Filming took place in the Mamaroneck Beach & Yacht Club, a country club located at 555 South Barry Avenue at the mouth of the Mamaroneck River. Ben Is Back Review: A Mother and Son Face the Horrors of Addiction, https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/05/movies/ben-is-back-review.html. In the place, Dolly finds Ben almost dead. "Ben is Back," written and directed by Peter Hedges and starring his son, Lucas Hedges, is one of two recent films on teen addiction starring the most talented young actors of the moment (" Beautiful Boy " starred Timothee Chalamet.) Furious, she takes him to the cemetery, asking him where he would like to be buried. He leaves Ponce in the car with a note asking whoever finds it to call his mom. She wants to support and protect her beloved oldest child without endangering or alienating the rest of the family, and in spite of everything that has happened she still has unwavering faith in her own maternal powers. [10], In July 2018, LD Entertainment, Roadside Attractions and Lionsgate acquired distribution rights to the film, which they released on December 7, 2018. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. We welcome suggestions & criticisms -- and we will accept compliments too. A challenge in a movie like this for its makers as well as its audience is that there are few original or satisfying answers to any of those. Ben's wary mother Holly Burns (Roberts) welcomes her beloved son's return, but soon learns he is still very much in harm's way. A young man says, "You're still scared of me," to his family. Theyve just come from a 12-step meeting. But this is one of those rare Hollywood movies that keeps you guessing, where you dont see the ending coming 20 minutes in. And hes with his mother Holly, played by Julia Roberts. Read her answers to our Movie Love Questionnaire here. His survivors guilt never feels as palpable as her mothers (Rachel Bay Jones) grief. Holly uses the kit and desperately tries to revive him, while sobbing for him to "come back" to her. Clayton is not convinced by what Ben has to offer, and Ben has to do another job for Clayton if he wants to take Ponce back. Ben Is Back ends on a note of vague hope, but its a reminder that Christmas Day is just one more opportunity to take it one day at a time. Peter Hedges narrates a scene from his film featuring Lucas Hedges and Julia Roberts. And like that film, it features privileged white folks at the center, as if to reinforce the idea that addiction cuts a swath through families regardless of race, class, or gender. Happy to see him but Holly is also wary, as she does not want his instability to affect the other children. In addition, the team toured Mamaroneck, lensing a few enticing sequences on location. What Hedges wants to do here is make you feel the dread and nausea of a parent living with a teenage addict the prickle of fear walking into his bedroom. By the time Ben and Holly are locked in a pieta-style tableau, with light shining from behind and above them, Ben Is Back has truly hit bottom. This isnt a matter of ego or showboating. Holly is eager to make Bens unexpected arrival seem as normal as possible, laughing too hard at his jokes and buzzing about the kitchen in a flurry of activity. And she thinks shes covered all the tracks. (She and Hedges also played siblings last year in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.) Ivy has seen too much, so she sees through everyones lieseven the well-intentioned ones from her mom. New & Used (35) from $3.78 + $3.99 shipping. And the later scenes reveal that Ben has taken the drug nonetheless. Since Mr. Richmonds wife had cancer, he could get all the prescription drugs. Yesterday I watched "Ben is Back" a recently released feature film about a heroin-addicted young man (Lucas Hedges) and his heroic and tenacious mother (Julia Roberts) who tries her best to keep him "clean.". Dolly heads to a store to change the kit since it has expired, but they do not deal with such medications. One of the cruelties of addiction is the way it strips away individuality, making all addicts stories the same. Holly follows in her car, finding Ben in a nearby neighborhood. In the nocturnal adventure, Ben visits the places of guilt to find a resolution for the present discontent. Even after the menacing, hooded figure skulking around near the driveway is recognized as a son and brother (played by Lucas Hedges), the queasy feeling of terror doesnt quite abate. For the time, Ben only wants the dog back. Know when new reviews are published We will never sell or share your email address with anybody and you can unsubscribe at any time, We will never sell or share your email address with anybody and you can unsubscribe at any time, Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody. Your local vendor is at the sharp end of the cost-of-living crisis this Winter. After a few minutes, Ben takes a breath. It is a big BUT uttered from Holly's tough love side. " Ben Is Back " is the story of one day in the lives of the Burnses, during which this prodigal son will test the love of everyone who cares about him and remind audiences everywhere why. It is almost laughable to watch Julia Roberts wandering around a site full of addicts on a dark winter night searching for her child. Bens sister, Ivy (Kathryn Newton), wants him gone. He has been to rehab a few times, and his return brings more menace than peace for the family of Dolly Burns ( Julia Roberts ), her second husband, Neal Beeby, and the family. Added . As the film suggests, his list of sins is wide and deep, and many of his past indiscretions will be revealed, like doors opening on an Advent calendar, over the course of the story. As is the cost of rent. Ive been with you the whole time. Excuse me! The girl at the meeting. And Ben going from cocky and confident to reduced and regressing in age and fearful and apologetic You think Im an idiot. All right. $12.49 FREE Shipping Get free shipping Free shipping within the U.S. when you order $25.00 of eligible items shipped by Amazon. She scolds him for getting her son hooked on painkillers after a snowboarding accident when Ben was younger. But even a scene set the safe space of a 12-step meeting, where Ben cracks jokes and tries to earn sympathy,comes off as disingenuous. Ben is Backs troubled white guy plot may be wearing thin but the addiction drama has moments of brilliance, says Cath Clarke. Bens way of being in the world, as he swings from anger to panic to heartfelt promise-making to abject remorse, looks like a familiar performance. Holly unleashes all her anger at this sick old man, who clearly has dementia an unflinching scene that feels real and raw in its emotional incorrectness. I dont think Ben is Back hangs together perfectly but there were times I forgot to breathe for a second or three. Returning from Ivy, Liam, and Laceys performance at the Christmas choir, they find that the room has been broken in. Image Credit: Mark Schafer/BBP West BIB, LLC, Ben Burns, an athlete dealing with opioid addiction. Christian Grey is a man with physical boundaries. And Ben has a secret. See production, box office & company info, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert: Julia Roberts/Patrick Wilson. Located at 129 Ramapo Road, the affordable diner attracts local crowds through its sheer cooking prowess and an uncomplicated menu. There is also an ominous image of a character who will figure heavily in the story later, especially as mother and son go to some disturbing places seeking catharsis. Over a turbulent 24 hours, new truths are revealed, and a mother's undying love for her son is. It is hard to believe anything Ben says when he arrives or opens his mouth. Move sliders from 0-10 in any combination, check and uncheck MPAA ratings and use keywords to further filter results -- please let us know what you think. Bens intense dynamic with his mother, Holly Burns, and the subsequent effect of his addiction on the family form the core of the drama. The constant push-pull between Hedges and Roberts, the see-saw of the power dynamic as each tries to navigate this thorny situation, is the most compelling element of Ben Is Back. All the demons are still there, all the memories and the things Ben cant remember. All at their highest rate in 40 years. He progresses to leave Ponce in the car, heading to a drug den to die from the guilt. Another scene shows Ben running into an old friend at the mall, who exclaims that he thought he was dead. (But were still going to focus on the sad rich, straight, young white guys.). Ben is Back review - Julia Roberts can't save middling addiction drama Strong performances from the Oscar winner and Lucas Hedges enliven a patchy film about a mother dealing with the return of. Theres this dangerous something coursing through him. Ben Is Back Ending, Explained: Is Ben Dead or Alive. Still, she hides her jewellery at the top of the wardrobe. Shes taken him Christmas shopping so hell have appropriate clothes to wear at church that night. A young man says, "The last time I didn't help someone, they died." View Cart . If you think what we do is worthwhile, please donate or become a member, Why is Ben Is Back rated R? Her anger at Ben dragging her (and her family) into his mess comes and goes. Inline image. A young man says that he got a young woman hooked and we understand that she is dead. The filmmaker previously made the enjoyable and piquant holiday-themed comedy-drama, Pieces of April, about a dysfunctional family at Thanksgiving. Realizing it is to do with him, Ben leaves the house to find him. He slips meaningful little asides into out-of-the-way places. But Anastasia can be easily confused, I guess, so asks for a clear roadmap. But other scenes are directed with the pure suspense of a thriller. The Fabelmans, Babylon, Empire of Light: Why the spate of love letters to cinema? He has a secret. Pockets. This is humiliating. No, this is love. Hollys oblivious. Free to go. You didnt check my shoes. Then Holly becomes concerned. However, Ben returns to life at the movies end with a jolt. Anyone can read what you share. and Ben's already shaky confidence takes a major hit. Holly has two kids with her second husband ( Courtney B. Vance) in addition to Ben and his younger sister, Ivy ( Kathryn Newton ), from her first. Helmed by Peter Hedges, the 2018 drama Ben Is Back is a refreshing and nuanced addiction movie about drugs and how they affect society. Shes always worried. Therefore, the chances are that the guy who read the note called Dolly to inform Ponces location. Technically, the film is a two-hander. Consequently, they set up a base at the village center and scanned the neighborhood. Bens much younger half-siblings (Mia Fowler and Jakari Fraser) and the family dog, for their part, adore him unreservedly. She tracks down Spencer, giving him drugs she had confiscated from Ben earlier, in exchange for him telling her where he might be. When Neal calls Dolly, Ben is still out of sight. And then she checks him because she has concerns. The moments between Ben and Holly talking in the kitchen or tackling crowds at the mall during some last-minute shopping are the films strongest. Our ratings and reviews are based on the theatrically-released versions of films; on video there are often Unrated, Special, Director's Cut or Extended versions, (usually accurately labelled but sometimes mislabeled) released that contain additional content, which we did not review. 19-year-old Ben Burns unexpectedly returns home to his family's suburban home on Christmas Eve morning. But A&E was worse': This is the desperate state of the NHS, Rishi Sunak wants a drone army of data entering robots: Simon Peggs furious attack on PMs maths plan. There is a scene where Julia Roberts' car breaks down. While maintaining the unity of action and time, the movie also features a lot of outdoor locations. 'Ben Is Back' | Anatomy of a Scene By Mekado Murphy December 7, 2018 Peter Hedges narrates a scene from his film featuring Lucas Hedges and Julia Roberts. An important filming location is Harriman State Park. Ben, an addict 77 days sober arrives back at the family home unexpectedly. Telling her she does not know the real "him," Ben reveals that his sponsor told him not to return home and that he did not get the drugs Holly found from a girl at the support group but rather hidden in the attic above his younger siblings' bedroom. However, Neal and Ivy think differently Neal, since he has paid for Bens rehab sessions, and Ivy, since as Bens biological sister, Ivy has seen Ben since childhood. But their journey is neither as harrowing nor as emotionally draining as the filmmaker thinks it is. Later still, Dolly and Ben go garment shopping, and seeing Ben in possession of the drug, the guards throw them out of the mall. Melissa McCarthy Says 'Bridesmaids' Originally Had a Strip . Whereas it appears that a few shots were recorded outside the strip mall as well as the Haas Pharmacy at 62 Orange Turnpike. Ben introduced Maggie to the drug, which seems to cause some amount of guilt in Bens mind. Release date: Dec 07, 2018. Superheroes! Ben plays noisily with his half-siblings but too noisily an edge of anxious . In Ben Is Back, Julia Roberts (left) . This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Some filming also took place in New City, a hamlet in the Clarkstown municipality. Its here that the film starts leaking suspense. Hedges son, Lucaswho has put together a string of strong work in just the past couple of years between Manchester By the Sea, Lady Bird, Boy Erased and mid90sstars as the title character, a charismatic young man who radiates a combination of enthusiasm and understandable unease. You can help us keep our independence with a donation. A young man talks about people in a car flatulating repeatedly. Support our vendors to earn as much as they can and give them a fighting chance this Winter. They are the main couple of the film series.They first meet each other at the beginning of Descendants and they later started dating and became a couple. [6] In November, Kathryn Newton was cast as the titular Ben's sister Ivy,[7] and Alexandra Park joined as an addict Ben meets during an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. Ultimately, Roberts just seems miscast. Ivy, however, is rightly suspicious of this prodigal son, and says Holly is trying too hard. Ben Is Back is a 2018 American drama film written and directed by Peter Hedges, and starring Julia Roberts, Lucas Hedges and Courtney B. Vance. A man says of his step-son, "If he were black he would be in jail by now." Spencer shows up and, after a tussle, he confirms that Clayton, a drug dealer he used to work for, took Ponce. Review: 'Ben Is Back' Takes A Wrong Turn Along The Way The first half is a tense, painfully real family drama about the lingering toll of opioid addiction; the second half lurches into thriller . - A woman puts prescription medications from a medicine cabinet in a bag and hides them in a closet, a young woman tells a young man that he was her dealer, many people using drugs stand around barrel fires and seem high, a young man delivers money to a drug dealer and returns to another dealer with drugs (the dealer tastes the drugs and gives the delivery person a packet of powder), and a young man says that he got a young woman hooked. And Ben has a secret. Ben Is Back SUBSTANCE USE - A woman puts prescription medications from a medicine cabinet in a bag and hides them in a closet, a young woman tells a young man that he was her dealer, many people using drugs stand around barrel fires and seem high, a young man delivers money to a drug dealer and returns to another dealer with drugs (the dealer tastes the drugs and gives the delivery person a . How much more damage will he do, to them and to himself? The scene is a delight. It was a crucial junction in the filming schedule. Ben Is Back is a film about addiction-what it's like to be a recovering addict, and what it's like to love one. The film received generally favorable reviews from critics, who praised the performances of Hedges and Roberts, but grossed just $12 million against its $13 million budget. A crucial junction in the car, finding Ben in a car ) think what do... 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