Movie Man Darian Watching All Night Long

Ben Is Back 

This film is a emotional punch to the heart! This film is carried magnificently by its leads Lucas Hedges and Julia Roberts demand the screen with truly outstanding performances that will move you to tears. This is a brutally honest look at a mother’s love for her child and how far it goes no matter what and it’s captured greatly by Peter Hedges showing great strength at showing the raw look at addiction and family but never making it feel preachy but rather well handled and shown onscreen. 

Firstly, This film shows Julia Roberts giving her blood sweat and tears to every aspect of this film. She’s phenomenal giving one of her absolute best performances in years. Adding to the fantastic acting is also Lucas Hedges who also gives a truly strong performance here too showing such a emotionally gut wrenching performance. Both leads give raw and emotionally driven performances that are the best part of this film and will blow you away. They also showcase incredible chemistry that’s absolutely electric onscreen.  

Secondly, This film is very much like beautiful Boy where it’s about addiction only difference is that this time it’s a mother and not a father and what’s so great about the film that I enjoy is that it takes place over a single night and everything has to be told explained and wrapped up within a single night and damn dose it work. It also is able to approach the topic of Addiction in a very honest and raw truth to it without it feeling sugarcoated with its material. That’s another reason why this film works so well is its unapologetically honest in its telling which makes it so rooted in reality and makes for gripping moments of emotion. 

Lastly, This film is a incredibly well structured film with great performances from its lead actors that also gives tremendous heart and emotion that will stick with you long after seeing this film. It’s a story about the power of a mothers love and addiction and it’s a story that needs to be seen I highly recommend this film. 

Rated R : for language throughout and some drug use

This film centres on a son named Ben who’s a recovering drug addict who is trying to get back to sober living and when he returns to his Mother who will not take his eyes off him for a moment but when some people from his criminal past ask upon him he must finish this alive while his mother looks to find him and make sure he’s safe no matter what

Julia Roberts : Roberts gives one of her best performances in years! She showcase a emotionally raw performance that is fearless. Julia hasn’t done a dramatic heavy film in a while that showcased her acting muscles in sometime now and I’m so glad to see her back in a drama centred film as she is a powerhouse in this film playing a mother who will stop at nothing until her son is safe and knows that he is loved. Roberts brings such a vulnerability to the character that was so well shown and so well brought to the screen from her terrific emotional range that will bring you to tears. She is so protective of her child and just wants him to be loved and be ok and Julia brings that across the screen in such brilliant emotion. She can be desperate and totally scared and keep moving forward then the next explode in anger rage and you feel for her she is captivating coming across so genuine. You can see the weight and stress on her shoulders and  She is committed to every aspect of the frame giving her absolute all and delivering her dialogue in such a honest way you can hear the shaking in her voice and the sadness in her eyes she takes this role head on giving a tremendous performance showing so many layers of emotions and gripping the audience with her emotionally raw performance that truly is one of her best performances in years she just steals the show with what she’s bringing the screen and theirs not one moment where your not invested in her character she is emotional open and vulnerable onscreen In ways I haven’t seen her channel in years and her performance is outstanding Julia is incredible. 

Lucas Hedges : Lucas brings another outstanding performance this year! Hedges earlier this year did Boy Erased which blew me away and now this wow this actor is on a roll. He plays a recovering addict and he doesn’t sugarcoat the role or character he shows all the emotional and psychological stress that would come to an addict and it’s a heartbreaking performance brought to life masterfully by Lucas. Hedges shows an amazing emotional turn here and Hedges digs deep to do this character right and show what an addict would be like. He brings everything to the screen and even the small things he used like what would trigger an addict and then becoming overwhelmed he brings it all and truly is fantastic in this film holding nothing back. He can be so afraid and hard on himself one minute and then be breaking down into tears in a church and the thing is he’s so emotive with his face you feel for the guy sure he’s not done great things but he’s trying to turn his life around and Hedges is so raw and real in the film with moments of anger where he’ll tell his mom that she doesn’t know him and so many other moments but it’s moments like those where when he delivers the dialogue he says them in a way as if he makes the character feel lived in and that it is coming from a real place. He can break your heart and warm it with his performance here it’s such a multie layered emotionally driven performance that hits you and Hedges once again Brings his A game and delivers on every front. Giving great believability amazing attention to detail with his character and outstanding emotional depth that he provides as well Lucas Hedges once again knocks it out of the park with his Extraordinary performance. 

Peter Hedges : Peter brings amazing direction to this film! Peter is a filmmaker I am a bit familiar with as a screenwriter with his work on What’s Eating Gilbert Grape I know he can do amazing screenwriting but I haven’t seen what he can do as a director. After seeing what he did here I can’t wait to see what he dose next because damn can he do a great job directing a film. Peter brings a realistic and incredibly grounded style to the film that feels so authentic and genuine in a way that feels like a documentary. Because he roots the film in real world problems that is happening all over the world and that’s addiction so he brings you in with the premise and ropes it in family drama and showcases amazing talent from his cast. What’s different about Peter is he crafted a film people can relate to maybe not the situation itself but in some ways you can relate to at least one thing in this film and I love that. He also dose not sugar coat or glamorize addiction in any way at all and shows it for how it is and how it mess someone up psychologically and emotionally. As well it’s not just about Addiction but also a mothers love and how far a mom will go to protect her son and he brings this heartbreaking premise to the front of it all but has this heartwarming undertone about your mother will always be their and I love that. He’s doing so many different things tone wise and it lands and works so well. He creates great moments of joy sadness and heartbreak and it’s captured so greatly by Peter who proves himself as a great director as he is a screenwriter and I cannot wait to see what he dose next as he captivated me with this film that takes place on a single night he got me invested and crying by the end Peter is a terrific director who gives fantastic direction here.