The movie takes place over one day and a long night, so there's more discussed about Ben's history of drug use than actually seen. Putin's forces in November pulled out of key positions, retreating from Kherson as Ukrainian troops led a counteroffensive targeting . 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. Upon the arrival she is first shocked and then overjoyed to see her. Helmed by Peter Hedges, the 2018 drama Ben Is Back is a refreshing and nuanced addiction movie about drugs and how they affect society. (Particularly so soon after another film about a privileged young addict Beautiful Boy.) The plot follows a mother who tries to help her addict son after he returns home from rehab. The cast and crew spent a significant amount of time in the Hudson Valley region. Stuart Dryburgh of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty fame came on board as the director of photography. Hedges fares even worse. But from Spencer, Ben gets a lead about the home invasion incident. Meanwhile, Ben has relapsed into drugs, and Dolly has to decide whether to part with Ben. Lucas Hedges plays the titular Ben, a recovering heroin addict, and Julia Roberts is Ben's loving mom. However, any commercial reproduction of anything appearing within this site is both illegal and in really bad taste and we will take action |more|. 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. Acclaimed director Peter Hedges (Dan In Real Life) reared the 2018 familial micro-drama movie Ben Is Back starring his son Lucas Hedges (Manchester by the Sea). (The films town is never identified, so it represents any/everywhereas in: this is a cautionary tale that could happen in your very own neighborhood!) As she follows Ben through an increasingly harrowing day and night, Holly gets a tour of an underworld that exists in the shadows of her sunny, stable reality. (Mark Schafer/Courtesy of LD Ent./Roadside Attraction), ------------------------------------------. 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. But this is one of those rare Hollywood movies that keeps you guessing, where you dont see the ending coming 20 minutes in. While Dolly finds the cell phone, there is no whereabouts of Ben. As Bens stepdad puts it: if he was black hed be in prison. We welcome suggestions & criticisms -- and we will accept compliments too. His mother Holly (Roberts) beams as only Julia Roberts can beam, full megawatt dazzle delighted to see him. And hes with his mother Holly, played by Julia Roberts. Ben plays noisily with his half-siblings but too noisily an edge of anxious . But you would never forgive yourself for not trying." Although Ben left Ponce in the car outside, Dolly finds Ponce in the place. 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. Ivy, however, is rightly suspicious of this prodigal son, and says Holly is trying too hard. Over a turbulent 24 hours, new truths are revealed, and a mother's undying love for her son is. Shes always worried. The hometown is mundane and suburban, but the camera looks for an exit from nature, reinforcing the fostering image. Not added . Shes going to get clothes for him. If the thought has indeed crossed your mind, allow us to enlighten you. She ends up at Maggies house, and Maggies mother, Beth, gives Dolly an emergency overdose kit. As for whether there are sparks between Rodriguez and Shookus, a representative for the baseball star told Page Six "there is absolutely zero there," adding: "They've been friends for 15 years." "One of the 50 Coolest Websitesthey simply tell it like it is" - TIME, The current economic climate has reduced our revenues. And a scene between the two mothers is painful, but in a manipulative, not heartbreaking way. In fulfilling the assignment, Clayton offers Ben a pouch of the drug to reward Bens service in the smuggling operation. At the restaurant, Ben meets his old buddy Spencer, who now goes by the name of Spider. Driving out to an abandoned barn, he parks on the side of the road. Subscribe to learn more about the movies you love! He wisely lets his actors act, giving them space to indicate so much in just a meaningful look. He also keeps Ben and Hollys ordeal safely within the boundaries of convention, focusing on the particulars of one familys pain. 19-year-old Ben Burns unexpectedly returns home to his family's suburban home on Christmas Eve morning. (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. And I never fully buy into its truth some of the big emotional outbursts fall flat. A young man talks about having an arrangement with his history teacher for drugs (possible sexual activity is implied). This is supposed to be such a joyous timethe most wonderful time of the year, evenbut expectations and regrets can serve as triggers, adding to the anxiety of the season. A drug addicted teenage boy shows up unexpectedly at his family's home on Christmas Eve. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. The production team supposedly lensed segments in Haywards Deli, a deli at 59 Orange Turnpike. Let us now take you to the specific locations where the movie was lensed. If you feel like encountering Bens outcome, let us give it a try. 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. Theyve just come from a 12-step meeting. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. Story of 19-year-old Ben Burns (Lucas Hedges), a young man with substance abuse issues who unexpectedly returns to his family's suburban home on Christmas Eve morning. And it works, mostly. Another place where the crew set up a shoot was a cemetery in Haverstraw, where a heated fight between Ben and Holly takes place. And then he reminds her, no, she didnt check everything. 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 . By signing up, you agree to our privacy policy and terms of use, and to receive messages from the Big Issue and our partners. 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. A young man talks about waking up with erections now that he is not using drugs. One of the cruelties of addiction is the way it strips away individuality, making all addicts stories the same. But Julia Roberts puts everyone in the shade, even Hedges one of my favourite young actors (he played Casey Afflecks nephew in Manchester By the Sea). View Cart . 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. Although Dolly has an outburst following this incident, she does not find the fresh batch she is looking for. How much more damage will he do, to them and to himself? A woman hands her son a cup and tells him to provide a urine sample for drug testing; she looks away and tells him that she wont look at his privates (we see him from the back with nothing seen or heard). Ben is around 20 years old (at which age I too was also . Ben Is Back NYT Critic's Pick Directed by Peter Hedges Drama R 1h 43m By A.O. [8] Filming began on December 5, with Courtney B. Vance joining the cast as Ben's stepfather. But once again, Roberts gives a gripping performance as a mother coming to new realizations about the child she thought she finally understood. A young man says that his mother found him upside down on the stairs with a needle in his arm and that his dog was trying to keep him awake. Add a gift receipt for easy returns. And Julias switch from happy mother shopping with her son to concerned and panicked mother is Mom, it was a joke. so powerful. Excuse me can I get a key to this door, please? This scene is a microcosm for the film that in Holly, at the beginning, you see the hope she has that this is going to be a fun thing. Anyone can read what you share. Meanwhile, Holly goes to Maggie's mom for help, who gives her a med kit for reviving a person who has suffered an overdose and her car keys to go find Ben. It is a big BUT uttered from Holly's tough love side. Ben is back! A woman confronts a doctor about prescribing drugs to her son at the age of 14 and says that she hopes he dies a horrible death. 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. And she thinks shes covered all the tracks. In Wicked World, the two are shown to flirt, with Mal often complimenting on how cute Ben is and being impressed when he . hockeydabeast413 live feed man in love taiwan movie why did alice leave tattoo fixers cosmetology school lawrence, ks rtgs vs pesalink. Theres brilliant stuff here about recovery and how addiction destroys the fabric of a family. At the mall another kid cheerfully greets him with Dude, I thought you were dead. At church he sees the mother of a girl who overdosed after he got her hooked. But other scenes are directed with the pure suspense of a thriller. 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. And then she checks him because she has concerns. If anyone can solve Bens problems can bring Ben back to the sweet, smart, decent boy he used to be its surely his mom. Hedges film is stronger in its first half, when its an understated character drama, than in its second half, when it morphs into a contrived crime thriller. "Bennifer" is officially back! Julia Roberts and Lucas Hedges are pictured filming a Scene for 'Ben is Back' at a shopping mall in White Plains, New York 03.01.2018 Furious, she takes him to the cemetery, asking him where he would like to be buried. Following Claytons order, Ben agrees to do the job, sticking several belts of drugs onto his body. Still, she hides her jewellery at the top of the wardrobe. #everycopycounts support vendors this winter. Superheroes! As the winter darkness descends, mother and son enter an inferno of grieving parents, sexual predators, ruthless dealers and hollowed-out users. "ben is back" is filled with harshly poignant scenes, e.g., when holly goes cold at the very sight of the doctor who prescribed heavy doses of painkillers for ben when her son was 14, or when holly has a harrowing encounter with a childhood friend of ben's who has been ravaged by addiction and cries out, "i changed your diapers," and wonders how That is both a blessing and a curse. Ben's mother, Holly (Julia Roberts), is relieved and welcoming but wary of her son staying clean. how to delete arbitersports account. 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. Ben assures his mother that his sponsor had OK'd his return. The young actor seems to have cornered the market on playing troubled youth, but it is hard to care about his character because Hedges has no range. What they dont say to each other is as important as what they do say. Ben Is Back (2018) - Filming & Production - IMDb Ben Is Back (2018) Filming & Production Showing all 3 items Jump to: Filming Locations (3) Filming Locations Edit Sloatsburg, New York, USA (Hayward's Market, Super Seven store) 14 of 15 found this interesting New York, USA 6 of 6 found this interesting USA Is this interesting? It starts at the mall, where she sees the elderly physician whose painkiller prescription she blames for Bens habit, and where Ben crosses paths with an old acquaintance. They start in very different places from where they end up. Not a burglar it turns out but Ben (played by the directors son Lucas Hedges), the familys oldest kid, who is back from rehab unexpectedly for the holidays. But shes not paying full attention. Can you please just exit the store? Yes. The range where they both go in the scene, the number of places they go, is emblematic of all the places we go in the film.. Hedges direction is efficient and understated in these scenes. A young man talks about being able to defecate regularly now that he is not using drugs. A young man and his mother argue in several scenes; the young man shoves his mother during one argument trying to get her to leave him. 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. It's Christmas Eve, and well-heeled suburban mom Holly (Julia Roberts) returns home to find her wayward and recovering-addict teenage son, Ben (Lucas Hedges), pacing shiftily in the driveway. - A young man is shown unconscious and his skin and lips are tinged blue; a woman gives him a drug trying to revive him and then does mouth-to-mouth and he starts breathing again. Her tics and her smile are overly familiar, but her performance does work when she is being empathetic. Later, Ben and Dolly head to a community session, and Ben meets another addict who used to score from him. A man says of his step-son, "If he were black he would be in jail by now." The unit lensed scenes in St Johns Episcopal Church in Larchmont at 4 West Fountain Square. Ben concocts that he took the drug from the girl at the meeting, but he later comes clean that he found the bit in the attic room. 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. 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. How does any addict? 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. Gary M. Kramer is a writer and film critic based in Philadelphia. Abruptly leaving Dolly behind, Ben goes to Claytons place. She seems like a woman accustomed to getting her way, not because she is complacent or overly entitled but because she expects the world to recognize the moral authority of motherhood. Copyright 2023 Salon.com, LLC. When Dolly gets to the shabby house, she finds Ponce barking outside the home. 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. So begins a long night of the soul as mother and son drive around Bens old stomping grounds. Ben owes Clayton a great deal of money since he takes a wad of cash and Dollys expensive necklace to make it square. Admittedly, you may feel like youve had your fill of troubled rich white guys with all their second chances and five-star rehab opportunities. But she think she is. See ratings & reviews at Critics.com. Inicio La Provincia ben is back mall scene ben is back mall scene. Ben has something hes not saying. As per sources, a few scenes were even lensed at a property on Johnsontown Road, simply known as The Farm. Nevertheless, the scene falls flat and feels preachy. A family returns home form a performance and finds their house has been broken into; their Christmas tree is tipped over, the glass of a door is broken and their dog is missing. 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. He exploited his wifes prescriptions to become a drug dealer, and Ben perhaps owes him some money. The scale and depth of the horror are beyond anything she had imagined. The website's critics consensus reads, "Refreshingly understated, Ben Is Back subverts family drama stereotypes - and provides a forum for terrific performances from Lucas Hedges and Julia Roberts. People and institutions doctors, police officers and pharmacists, as well as her kids are supposed to listen, and to accede to her wishes. [14], Los Angeles Online Film Critics Society Awards, "Making of 'Ben Is Back': How Director Peter Hedges Convinced His Reluctant Son Lucas to Star", "Julia Roberts And Lucas Hedges Team For Black Bear & 30WEST-Backed 'Ben Is Back', "Courtney B. Vance Joins Julia Roberts & Lucas Hedges In 'Ben Is Back', Julia Roberts project, filmed in Rockland, gets positive reviews, "Julia Roberts Drama 'Ben Is Back' Acquired By LD Entertainment, Lionsgate & Roadside", "Toronto: Timothee Chalamet Starrer 'Beautiful Boy,' Dan Fogelman's 'Life Itself' Among Festival Lineup", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ben_Is_Back&oldid=1132753122, Best Performance by an Actor 23 and Under, David Zaldivar as Spencer "Spider" Webbs, a drug addict and one of Ben's old friends, Jack Davidson as Dr. Crane, husband of Alzheimer female, Mia Fowler as Lacey Burns-Beeby, Holly and Neal's 10-year-old daughter and Ben and Ivy's little half-sister, Jakari Fraser as Liam Burns-Beeby, Holly and Neal's 6-year-old son and Ben and Ivy's little half-brother, This page was last edited on 10 January 2023, at 11:23. At the restaurant, Ben meets his old buddy Spencer, Ben meets another addict who used to from! 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