Review of movie Ben Is Back

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Rating:4/5

The Burns family appears to be a well-adjusted, almost squeaky clean American family. Holly Burns (Julia Roberts) is a loving mother to her three children. But when her eldest child from her previous marriage, Ben (Lucas Hedges) shows up unannounced at their doorstep, their lives are thrown in disarray. Ben has been sober for 77 days; while Holly is thrilled to see him back home, neither she nor her husband Neal (Courtney B. Vance) is convinced that he's as clean as he claims to be. What follows is a harrowing series of events as the mother and son try to deal with the aftermath of Ben's actions before he was sent to rehab. 

Anyone wondering why Lucas Hedges has been in almost every other film can see why he's soon turning into such a big deal. Directed by his father Peter Hedges, he immerses himself entirely into the emotional roller-coaster that is Ben Burns. Lucas’ sincerity makes you want to see Ben overcome all his challenges, despite being his own biggest obstacle. It’s a character study of what an addict goes through, and how his behaviour impacts those around him. This makes Julia Roberts a fitting choice to play his mother Holly, who is hopeful and loving, yet determined about her son’s well-being. Roberts gives her most robust performance in years, as a parent who wants to protect her child from the world, but mostly, from himself. She refuses to give up on him even at his deplorable worst, giving the film its most emotional moments.