Another place where the crew set up a shoot was a cemetery in Haverstraw, where a heated fight between Ben and Holly takes place. Parents need to know that Ben Is Back is a drama that centers on the United States' opioid epidemic. business Retail. Regardless, Hedges plants all kinds of details that are meant to pay off later but fail to deliver any real impact. This movie chronicles 24 hours in the life of a family after the oldest son comes home from rehab one Christmas eve. But shes not paying full attention. [10], In July 2018, LD Entertainment, Roadside Attractions and Lionsgate acquired distribution rights to the film, which they released on December 7, 2018. Should they believe him? Bens much younger half-siblings (Mia Fowler and Jakari Fraser) and the family dog, for their part, adore him unreservedly. Add to Cart . 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 on the plus side, Ben is natural with Liam and Lacey, although his seemingly benign song conceals a neurotic outburst. And I never fully buy into its truth some of the big emotional outbursts fall flat. 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. He blames himself for someone attempting to hurt his family. - 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. Vendors are amongst the most vulnerable people affected. 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. Famed civil rights attorney Ben Crump has been retained by the family of Z'Kye Husain, a Black eight-grader who was forcefully detained by Bridgewater Township police officers after a physical. 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. Since Mr. Richmonds wife had cancer, he could get all the prescription drugs. (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!) Alan Scherstuhl December 17, 2018 6:00AM In Ben Is Back, Julia Roberts (left) stars as Holly Burns, an ordinary woman struggling with the return of her teenage son (played by Lucas Hedges). Newton is quite good, too, as the familys voice of reason. One of the cruelties of addiction is the way it strips away individuality, making all addicts stories the same. 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. After pressure from her husband, she insists she will stick to Ben for the next 24 hours. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Look how his skin glows. But you would never forgive yourself for not trying." Its been a long time. Her anger at Ben dragging her (and her family) into his mess comes and goes. A man slams a passenger car window and pounds on the hood of the car as a woman and her son speed away. Meanwhile, shes trying to keep all the plates spinning for the rest of the family on this day of great expectations. Dolly seeks to accept Ben, but Ben has ways to mess things up. The unit lensed scenes in St Johns Episcopal Church in Larchmont at 4 West Fountain Square. The filmmaker previously made the enjoyable and piquant holiday-themed comedy-drama, Pieces of April, about a dysfunctional family at Thanksgiving. A young man talks about people in a car flatulating repeatedly. 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. All rights reserved. Ben Is Back was filmed in the state of New York, particularly in Rockland County and Westchester County. [12], According to the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 81% of critics have given the film a positive review based on 221 reviews, with an average rating of 6.9/10. 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. Theres this dangerous something coursing through him. Filming reportedly kicked off in late 2017 and continued through early 2018. In contrast, an episode where Holly vomits after piecing together what Ben did to get his history teachers Oxycontin is a bit much. 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). Her best moments have Holly making some questionable decisions, thoughher heart is in the right place. Located at 129 Ramapo Road, the affordable diner attracts local crowds through its sheer cooking prowess and an uncomplicated menu. Ben and Mal is a romantic pairing, Ben is the son of Belle and Beast, and Mal is the daughter of Maleficent and Hades.. Therefore, the chances are that the guy who read the note called Dolly to inform Ponces location. While the director meant to keep the finale subtle, we conclude that Ben is alive. 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. As for Ben, hes 77 days clean. The project was announced in October 2017, with Lucas Hedges and Julia Roberts set to star. If you think what we do is worthwhile, please donate or become a member, Why is Ben Is Back rated R? The production unit lensed several exterior scenes along Lake Avenue and Nepperhan Avenue, Central Park Avenue, and Mildred Street. 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. Recent episodes in Anatomy of a. Ben is Backs troubled white guy plot may be wearing thin but the addiction drama has moments of brilliance, says Cath Clarke. Shes going to get clothes for him. But this is one of those rare Hollywood movies that keeps you guessing, where you dont see the ending coming 20 minutes in. 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. [9] Filming took place in Yonkers, New City, Sloatsburg, Larchmont, Mamaroneck, Garnerville, and Haverstraw, New York. That evening, the family returns home from church to find that someone has broken into their home and taken Ponce. A young man speeds away from a gas station leaving his mother inside alone and with no ride. 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. Ben, an addict 77 days sober arrives back at the family home unexpectedly. Ben has been in rehab since he nearly died after becoming hooked on painkillers resulting from a sports injury, a habit that eventually led to him selling drugs to young people in the neighborhood, incidents that neither Ben, the drug dealers, or the victim's and their families will ever forget. Like her, I found myself constantly scanning Bens face: is he using again? Shes taken him Christmas shopping so hell have appropriate clothes to wear at church that night. 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. " 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. . She scolds him for getting her son hooked on painkillers after a snowboarding accident when Ben was younger. How can he live with what hes done? Over a turbulent 24 hours, new truths are revealed, and a mother's undying love for her son is tested as she does everything in her power to keep him safe. Some filming also took place in New City, a hamlet in the Clarkstown municipality. That is both a blessing and a curse. 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. Bens a charmer and a talkerhell burst into a silly song to amuse the little onesand its clear that hes trying strenuously, as well, to make his return a happy one. As Bens stepdad puts it: if he was black hed be in prison. A young man talks about his history teacher having an unlimited supply of "oxy" and other opioids. Ultimately, Roberts just seems miscast. "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 And you will be helping support our website & our efforts. Copyright The Big Issue Limited 2021. But she think she is. 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. Ben has something hes not saying. Superheroes! Driving out to an abandoned barn, he parks on the side of the road. Hollywood films about addiction tend to be tasteful, well-meaning awardsy dramas. Symmetry opens the film. Theyve just come from a 12-step meeting. 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. And it works, mostly. And then she checks him because she has concerns. Let us now take you to the specific locations where the movie was lensed. An important filming location is Harriman State Park. 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.. Just as his performance in Boy Erased failed to convince he was struggling with his sexuality, Hedges never seems to be truly fighting addiction here. While Neal and Ivy may be against it, Dolly will probably reattempt to integrate Ben into society. Let us know what you think in the comments below. Buy Tickets to Ben Is Back: https://www.fandango.com/ben-is-back-213738/movie-overview?cmp=CSYT_YouTube_DescWant to be notified of all the latest clips and behind the scenes footage? He claims his sponsor thought it was a good idea for him to return home, to show how good Im doing. He then recounts a story of farts in a car that Holly thinks is hilarious. As per sources, a few scenes were even lensed at a property on Johnsontown Road, simply known as The Farm. Director Peter Hedges Writer Peter Hedges Stars Julia Roberts Lucas Hedges Courtney B. Vance See production, box office & company info Watch on HBO Max with subscription More watch options Add to Watchlist 145 User reviews 162 Critic reviews 66 Metascore Awards Image Credit: Mark Schafer/BBP West BIB, LLC, Ben Burns, an athlete dealing with opioid addiction. And the later scenes reveal that Ben has taken the drug nonetheless. It sure feels like it. You can help us keep our independence with a donation. Gary M . "Bennifer" is officially back! Be aware that while we do our best to avoid spoilers it is impossible to disguise all details and some may reveal crucial plot elements. Hedges direction is efficient and understated in these scenes. But once again, Roberts gives a gripping performance as a mother coming to new realizations about the child she thought she finally understood. Now, you may wonder where the film was shot. It opens with Holly (Julia Roberts) coming home from church with three of her four children who have been practicing for the Christmas pageant. The Bottom Line Nerve-racking but not bleak or without humor. You can feel every conflicting emotion shes experiencing as she pulls up to the familys house with her other kids in tow and is stunned at the sight of her eldest, a hoodied 19-year-old standing awkwardly in the driveway. Theyve just come from a 12-step meeting. #everycopycounts support vendors this winter. But their journey is neither as harrowing nor as emotionally draining as the filmmaker thinks it is. Ben Burns: I love five people and Ponce is two of them. Subscribe to learn more about the movies you love! Ben Is Back Pits a Dazzling Julia Roberts Against the Opioid Scourge Alan Scherstuhl December 18, 2018 9:00AM In Ben Is Back, Julia Roberts (left) stars as Holly Burns, an ordinary. While we read all emails & try to reply we do not always manage to do so; be assured that we will not share your e-mail address. Ben's mom, Holly (Julia Roberts), is relieved and welcoming but wary of her son staying clean. Ben is jumpy, shaky, perhaps not ready for this yet. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. All at their highest rate in 40 years. And thats especially clear when he runs into people from his past. [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. by Marc on January 17, 2019 in Connect. Stepdad Neal (Courtney B Vance), whos paying for the rehab, is stony faced. Let us get to the ending. At the same time, a monologue Hedges delivers when Ben shares at a Narcotics Anonymous meeting is a powerful example of this young actors range, from swagger to introspection and, ultimately, regret. Although Dolly has an outburst following this incident, she does not find the fresh batch she is looking for. 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. A woman pounds on a fitting room door and yells obscenities at her son behind the door before they are asked to leave the store. On the contrary, what is so moving and effective about Robertss work here is her shrewd subversion of her long-established persona. While Dolly finds the cell phone, there is no whereabouts of Ben. Jennifer Lopez on Saturday appeared to finally confirm her relationship with Ben Affleck, posting a photograph of them kissing on Instagram and Twitter. Her tics and her smile are overly familiar, but her performance does work when she is being empathetic. It enlivens a moralizing tough-love scene, as when Holly takes her son to a cemetery and asks him to pick out a burial site because he will soon be dead if he doesnt change. A young man tells another young man, "I thought you were dead." Theres this dangerous something coursing through him. While holiday shopping at the mall, Holly runs into Ben's former doctor, now an old man with dementia. 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. Ben soon makes eye contact with a man who is presumably linked to his drug-dealing. The elder Hedges needs to make amends. Ben Is Back: Trailer 1 2:25 Added: October 11, 2018. Hollywood films about addiction tend to be tasteful, well-meaning awardsy dramas. Prices of energy and food are rising rapidly. And then theres Julia Roberts. Shes going to get clothes for him. Gary M. Kramer is a writer and film critic based in Philadelphia. A young man seems nervous when he sees another young man in a shopping mall. Meanwhile, Ben has relapsed into drugs, and Dolly has to decide whether to part with Ben. The crew filmed in North Little Tor Road and along the South Mountain Roads in the suburbs of New City.
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