Beautiful Boy

Beautiful Boy is a heart-wrenching and eloquent film that reveals the harrowing rollercoaster ride of living with drug addiction and the resilience of the human spirit. Based on two best-selling memoirs by father and son David and Nicolas Sheff, this poignant tale blends their experiences as they struggle with Nic’s (Timothée Chalamet) crystal meth addiction, as his increasingly desperate family run out of options to help him.

Set in the early 2000s against the stunning backdrop of the American West Coast, the film follows Nic in his early 20s while jumping back and forth to his childhood, as David (Steve Carell) tries to understand crystal meth’s dark hold over his son.

Directed by Felix Van Groeningen (The Broken Circle Breakdown) this sincere movie unveils the complicated and personal side to the often-stereotyped narrative of drug addiction. It tries to shed some light on how people get addicted in the first place and exactly why their recovery from crystal meth is so difficult.

Nic’s family and those around him walk a tightrope of disappointment, hope and suspicion as they deal with Nic’s agonising highs (literally) and distressing lows. They rotate through his destructive patterns of denial while addicted, optimism during recovery and distress when relapsing. The movie focuses on the bond between father and son, although it would have been interesting to see more of Nic’s relationship with his mother (Amy Ryan) and step-mother (Maura Tierney).

Beautiful Boy also features an incredible soundtrack with artists such as Massive Attack, Sigur Rós, Tim Buckley, Sampha and, of course, John Lennon.

Although the film tries to avoid clichés, it sometimes walks straight into them. Just because someone likes the band Nirvana or the writer Charles Bukowski, doesn’t mean they’re going to end up as an addict. And Nic’s diary is conveniently left behind for David to stumble across and read about his drug use. However, these elements don’t detract from an overall strong movie.

With its captivating story line and gutsy acting, Beautiful Boy is compelling. Chalamet’s portrayal of the lovable and tormented Nic is utterly absorbing. It is a touching film that gives a glimmer of hope despite its darkness.

Beautiful Boy
In cinemas Thursday, 25 October 2024
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