Directed by: Florian Zeller
IMDb link: The Son (2022) – IMDb
“It’s just, I’m not made like other people. Sometimes I feel like I’m not made for this life.”
(Spoilers ahead…)
Before diving into the story for The Son movie review, I must mention that the film deals heavily with mental illness.
Plot of The Son: A Story About Depression
Peter (Hugh Jackman) is happy with his wife Beth (Vanessa Kirby) and their newborn child Theo. Just then, his ex-wife Kate (Laura Dern) knocks at his door, giving him news about his son Nicholas (Zen McGrath). He hasn’t been himself for quite a while. She recently discovered, thanks to a call from school, that he’s been skipping classes for over a month. The rest of the story deals with severe depression and mental health issues, as Peter and Kate try to get Nicholas happy and safe.
Why Florian Zeller Couldn’t Repeat His Last Film’s Magic
Florian Zeller last directed The Father, which was a complex and scary look at memory loss in old age. As a viewer, I never knew if what I saw was real or just an imagination from the excellent Anthony Hopkins. The Son, however, is much simpler, at least on the surface. It is a lot more dramatic, trying to win my emotional support rather than building it naturally. And that is where this film disappoints.
There is a lot going on, which is why it is still a decent watch. I see worrying parents who want their son to get well. Yet, many times they are not able to see the warning signs or how easily they get tricked into believing what their son tells them. I don’t know if I should call this bad writing or if it is just a part of the real challenges of being a parent.
Two Key Scenes Highlight Writing Flaws
Two scenes made me very surprised. One is when Nicholas joins a new school in the middle of the year, and Peter doesn’t care to secretly follow him for at least a few days, if not a week. Surely it would cross a father’s mind: ‘What if my son is skipping school again? Why not confirm it?’
The other scene is where Peter and Kate make a huge decision to bring Nicholas back home rather than getting him the hospital care his current condition demands. Why on earth would they leave a gun in the bathroom? In fact, any parent would ideally go home and remove all sharp things like knives or anything that can help him hurt himself, keeping them way out of his reach. It is totally hard to believe any caring parent of a teenage son suffering from depression would make such a big mistake.
Missed Opportunity: Not Showing Nicholas’s Side
These few mistakes could have been ignored if I was shown more of what Nicholas felt he was going through. Instead, I just keep getting scenes where he simply says the lines, ‘I am in pain.’
In the last film, The Father, the story was excellent because it was told from the point of view of Anthony Hopkins. I could never trust his view, yet many times I felt bad for him. There was always a mixed feeling all the time. How different The Son would have been if it was told from Nicholas’s point of view from start to finish. It could have been a great psychological thriller.
All the scenes of Peter’s workplace didn’t really add much to the story, apart from showing how distant he was from Nicholas in this serious phase. It would have been good to see what was cooking inside Nicholas’s head on a few occasions, or to show some of his walks when he skips school. Just saying this person is suffering from depression isn’t enough.
Hugh Jackman, Vanessa Kirby, and Laura Dern Deliver Good Performances
What does work for me is the use of flashbacks from a trip when Peter, Kate, and Nicholas were very happy. I can see how Peter feels guilty that maybe it’s his fault that Nicholas has changed so much now. His divorce had a deep effect on his son, and he is unable to do anything now.
Hugh Jackman excels in the role even though the writing team doesn’t give him enough to truly shine. He still brings out a desperate father who wants Nicholas to be fine, but time and again brings out the same parenting he received himself. (Interestingly, Anthony Hopkins plays his dad in a very well-done scene they have together). Peter ends up making Nicholas answer questions he doesn’t want to be asked.
Both Vanessa Kirby and Laura Dern are pretty good too. You can feel Beth is trying her best in the hard conditions. She is brave to directly say to Peter that Nicholas’s mind isn’t right and he shouldn’t be trusted. To be honest, I felt that if Beth was the mother of Nicholas, maybe she would have been a lot more careful. The ‘Death can wait’ scene is emotional; it did get to me, and for a moment, I believed that maybe it’s real and they did save Nicholas.
The Son Movie Review: Final Verdict
Overall, The Son, even with a great cast and the director that gave us the wonderful The Father, doesn’t live up to the expectations.
My Rating: 6/10
Need a break from heavy dramas? Read my latest Classic Songs Sunday: Babuji Dheere Chalna and Juda Hoke Bhi.
