A young man talks about people in a car flatulating repeatedly. But she think she is. But shes not paying full attention. He wisely lets his actors act, giving them space to indicate so much in just a meaningful look. 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. All rights reserved. And thats especially clear when he runs into people from his past. - 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. As per sources, a few scenes were even lensed at a property on Johnsontown Road, simply known as The Farm. They start in very different places from where they end up. And she thinks shes covered all the tracks. And then theres Julia Roberts. "Ben Is Back" hands down is the most emotional movie of the year. Hi. Ben has something hes not saying. They search for Ponce together to no avail. But their journey is neither as harrowing nor as emotionally draining as the filmmaker thinks it is. His survivors guilt never feels as palpable as her mothers (Rachel Bay Jones) grief. As for Ben, hes 77 days clean. Christy Lemire is a longtime film critic who has written for RogerEbert.com since 2013. The disease of addiction can afflict anyone, anywhere, Hedges reminds us, just as Beautiful Boy did earlier this year. Since Mr. Richmonds wife had cancer, he could get all the prescription drugs. The conflict is not his alone. And a scene between the two mothers is painful, but in a manipulative, not heartbreaking way. Vendors are amongst the most vulnerable people affected. Located at 129 Ramapo Road, the affordable diner attracts local crowds through its sheer cooking prowess and an uncomplicated menu. How much should my pay rise to beat inflation? Clayton is not convinced by what Ben has to offer, and Ben has to do another job for Clayton if he wants to take Ponce back. But everywhere he goes hes confronted by life as an addict. Returning from Ivy, Liam, and Laceys performance at the Christmas choir, they find that the room has been broken in. Driving out to an abandoned barn, he parks on the side of the road. When Dolly gets to the shabby house, she finds Ponce barking outside the home. Now, you may wonder where the film was shot. 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. His stepfather, Neal (Courtney B. Vance), wonders how many more chances Ben deserves, noting that a young black man in his circumstances would not have had as many. Gary M. Kramer is a writer and film critic based in Philadelphia. Read More: Ben Is Back Ending, Explained: Is Ben Dead or Alive? THE ASSIGNED NUMBERS He also keeps Ben and Hollys ordeal safely within the boundaries of convention, focusing on the particulars of one familys pain. What's coming to your cinema in 2023, For your consideration the potential 2023 Oscar winners, We spent a day streaming bad Christmas movies and this is what it did to our brain, Here's when people will get the next cost of living payment in 2023, 'My elderly mother was in an ambulance for 18 hours. Stuart Dryburgh of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty fame came on board as the director of photography. #everycopycounts support vendors this winter. But even more so, it's also a movie about redemption that reflects Jesus' lesson in the Book of Luke through a powerful illustration of forgiveness. While the director meant to keep the finale subtle, we conclude that Ben is alive. business Retail. But from Spencer, Ben gets a lead about the home invasion incident. A drug addicted teenage boy shows up unexpectedly at his family's home on Christmas Eve. A young man chases another young man out of a diner, he shoves him against a wall and into a pile of garbage bags and the young man on the ground gets up and punches the other young man in the face and then runs away. 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. Filming took place in the Mamaroneck Beach & Yacht Club, a country club located at 555 South Barry Avenue at the mouth of the Mamaroneck River. Menu. As Bens stepdad puts it: if he was black hed be in prison. they are pretty mundane in a broken, contemporary world. The MPAA rating has been assigned for language throughout and some drug use. The Kids-In-Mind.com evaluation includes a physical altercation that ends with a punch in the face, references to sex in exchange for drugs, opioid addiction and its effects on family and loved ones, discussions of the death of people addicted to opioids and rehab, and over 30 F-words. Holly uses the kit and desperately tries to revive him, while sobbing for him to "come back" to her. Ben soon makes eye contact with a man who is presumably linked to his drug-dealing. Theres this dangerous something coursing through him. Ben goes with mother, stepdad (Courtney B. Vance) and siblings to an evening church service, at which his sister (Kathryn Newton) is the featured singer, despite an apparent inability to sing in. Ive been with you the whole time. Excuse me! The girl at the meeting. And Ben going from cocky and confident to reduced and regressing in age and fearful and apologetic You think Im an idiot. All right. 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.But other scenes are directed with the pure . Read our parents guide below for details on sexual content, violence & strong language.. On the contrary, what is so moving and effective about Robertss work here is her shrewd subversion of her long-established persona. Other Sellers on Amazon. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. (But were still going to focus on the sad rich, straight, young white guys.). 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 watching how she can, on a dime, flip from the happy mom to panicked mom and fierce mom Where did you get this? Subscribe to the channel and click the bell icon to stay up to date.US Release Date: December 7, 2018Starring: Julia Roberts, Lucas HedgesDirected By: Peter Hedges Synopsis: Follows the charming yet troubled Ben Burns (Hedges), who returns home to his unsuspecting family one fateful Christmas Eve. Roberts never quite disappears into her role as a sacrificial mom. It opens with Holly (Julia Roberts) coming home from church with three of her four children who have been practicing for the Christmas pageant. ben is back mall scene "Bennifer" is officially back! As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. 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. Clayton, a local gang leader for whom Ben worked, sent men to break into the Burns residence. Shes going to get clothes for him. And Ben has a secret. 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. Read her answers to our Movie Love Questionnaire here. A young man says, "You're still scared of me," to his family. He is entirely credible as an almost-grown man whose credibility has virtually collapsed, who is in a constant state of war with himself. 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 Advertisement. 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. SPOILERS AHEAD. Shes taken him Christmas shopping so hell have appropriate clothes to wear at church that night. SALON is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office as a trademark of Salon.com, LLC. The moments between Ben and Holly talking in the kitchen or tackling crowds at the mall during some last-minute shopping are the films strongest. Associated Press articles: Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. YouBen- will immediately submit to a drug test! A young man is agitated when he goes into his attic and says that he used to hide his drug stash there. We've gone through several editorial changes since we started covering films in 1992 and older reviews are not as complete & accurate as recent ones; we plan to revisit and correct older reviews as resources and time permits. Rated R (Particularly so soon after another film about a privileged young addict Beautiful Boy.) 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. Lucas Hedges has to work a tricky balancing act of appearing. 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? The next scene they're at a gas station with no explanation as to how they got the broken down vehicle there. 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. Although Maggies father smashes the windowpane of Dollys car out of vengeance, he seemingly has not abducted Ponce. And you will be helping support our website & our efforts. The hometown is mundane and suburban, but the camera looks for an exit from nature, reinforcing the fostering image. During the 24 hours that may change their lives forever, Holly must do everything in her power to avoid the family's downfall.Watch More: Coming Soon to Theaters: http://bit.ly/2mkFBqr Movie Clips: http://bit.ly/2FrP8VL Movie Trailers: http://bit.ly/2GlOAkMFuel Your Movie Obsession: Subscribe to COMING SOON: http://bit.ly/2CMX5D1 Watch Movieclips ORIGINALS: http://bit.ly/2D3sipV Like us on FACEBOOK: http://bit.ly/2DikvkY Follow us on TWITTER: http://bit.ly/2mgkaHb Follow us on INSTAGRAM: http://bit.ly/2mg0VNUThe Fandango MOVIECLIPS COMING SOON channel is home to all the movie clips, trailers, behind the scenes videos, and more from the best upcoming movies. Check out the new movie clip for Ben Is Back starring Lucas Hedges! Meanwhile, ever the mom in control, Holly tries to convince herself its all going to be fine, even repeating 12-step slogans like It works if you work it.. That is both a blessing and a curse. 19-year-old Ben Burns unexpectedly returns home to his family's suburban home on Christmas Eve morning. [Read our critics top 10 films of the year.]. And the later scenes reveal that Ben has taken the drug nonetheless. Helmed by Peter Hedges, the 2018 drama Ben Is Back is a refreshing and nuanced addiction movie about drugs and how they affect society. A young man says, "The last time I didn't help someone, they died." However, Ben returns to life at the movies end with a jolt. While holiday shopping at the mall, Holly runs into Ben's former doctor, now an old man with dementia. The film highlights many shades of Julia Roberts and Lucas Hedges' central roles, Holly and Ben. I thought you were dead, one guy at the mall says off-handedly. and Ben's already shaky confidence takes a major hit. Ben Is Back was filmed in the state of New York, particularly in Rockland County and Westchester County. Julia Roberts films Ben Is Back in sub-zero weather https://t.co/kmKOaHd0oB #Yonkers pic.twitter.com/LPHHL3bZh3, YonkersRU (@YonkersRoundup) January 8, 2018. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. Admittedly, you may feel like youve had your fill of troubled rich white guys with all their second chances and five-star rehab opportunities. All of which leaves Bens mother, Holly (Julia Roberts), in an agonizing position. And hes with his mother Holly, played by Julia Roberts. Shes going to get clothes for him. Theyve just come from a 12-step meeting. 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. Dolly seeks to accept Ben, but Ben has ways to mess things up. Add to Cart . He doesnt have the desperation that Timothe Chalamet displayed in Beautiful Boy that made that performance resonate. Ben Burns: I love five people and Ponce is two of them. It is as if he has come home from prep school, not rehab. 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. Hollywood films about addiction tend to be tasteful, well-meaning awardsy dramas. Just go to our search page or use the search bar, with or without a keyword, from the top navigation menu. When a young man doesn't remember a young woman, she tells him, "You were my dealer." The film begins when 19-year-old Ben Burns reappears in his house in Yonkers, New York, just in time for Christmas. Hedges direction is efficient and understated in these scenes. Can they trust him? 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. Later still, Dolly and Ben go garment shopping, and seeing Ben in possession of the drug, the guards throw them out of the mall. New & Used (35) from $3.78 + $3.99 shipping. Holly follows in her car, finding Ben in a nearby neighborhood. So begins a long night of the soul as mother and son drive around Bens old stomping grounds. Ben is around 20 years old (at which age I too was also . Dec 21, 2018. In fulfilling the assignment, Clayton offers Ben a pouch of the drug to reward Bens service in the smuggling operation. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Spencer shows up and, after a tussle, he confirms that Clayton, a drug dealer he used to work for, took Ponce. 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. Tend to be tasteful, well-meaning awardsy dramas so begins a long night of year... Is presumably linked to his family 's home on Christmas Eve mess things up Alive. 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