121. Ben Is Back; movie review

BEN IS BACK
Cert 15
103 mins
BBFC advice: Contains strong language, drugs misuse

Julia Roberts must need a whole wing of her mansion to house the awards she has won but I can't recall her being better than she is during Ben Is Back.
She might have made her name for flim-flam such as Pretty Woman and Notting Hill but this is a role which took guts and which she exposes her soul.
Roberts plays the mother of a drug addict (Lucas Hedges) who, against all advice, returns home for Christmas from rehab.
She is delighted, willing to forgive all past behaviour in the belief that he has finally changed and can be a normal member of the family.
Less keen is her husband (Courtney B. Vance) who has been left to pick up the pieces of Ben's many transgressions over the years.
Also expressing doubt is Ben's sister (Kathryn Newton) who fears that Ben's presence will bring turmoil and possible danger.
She should be a psychic because that is exactly what is in store for the family this Christmas.
Peter Hedges' film taps into the issue of the fall-out of drug addiction and asks parents whether it is right to be cruel to be kind.
It explores guilt, love, anger and passion and an awful lot of exasperation and shows how one victim's cravings can have a ripple effect which gradually builds into a tsunami.
Roberts portrays deep motherly love combined with desperate fear that she may lose her son. She simply cannot give up on him.
This puts her at odds with the rest of her family who demand that he be sent straight back to rehabilitation.
It is unusual to hear a volley of profanities from a Roberts' character but it fits the situation. Who wouldn't scream the f-word if they feared their child' behaviour might kill them?
Ben Is Back is a tough watch but I suspect many families have to live this type of shocking reality. It will resonate with them but also with those of us who are thankful that we don't.

Reasons to watch: Great to see Julia Roberts in fine form
Reasons to avoid: Doesn't really move addiction issue forward

Laughs: None
Jumps: None
Vomit: None
Nudity: None
Overall rating: 8/10

Did you know? According to a 2017 report, approximately two million or 7.9 per cent of adolescents aged 12 to 17 were users of illicit drugs.

The final word. Lucas Hedges: "It ended up being the most important project I've ever done in my life. My dad gave me my love of film—he directly handed that down to me. As a little boy, my dad was my hero and for making this movie he's my hero. I got an opportunity to make a movie with the guy who not only created me but inspired me into this world. "

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