Beautiful Boy review – Mr T’s take

A young boy’s struggle with addiction and the toll it takes on his family. Beautiful Boy review, brought to you by AboutFlick’s Mr T.

Director: Felix Van Groeningen

Review: Based on the memoirs by David Sheff and his son Nic Sheff, Beautiful Boy offers an intimate look at how addiction affects not only the addict, but also those around them. Nic (Timothée Chalamet) is unable to have healthy relationships with anyone who cares about him. This film primarily explores how his dependence on drugs wreaks havoc on the dynamic between him and his dad (Steve Carell).

Steve Carell shines as a helpless father trying to cope with his son’s addiction in one of the most understated performances of his career, although we sometimes get a peek of the short-tempered Mark Baum from The Big Short. Timothée Chalamet brings his effervescent charm to this role as a troubled young man, who in his quest for independence from his overbearing father gets drawn into a downward spiral with no reprieve in sight. This is the young man’s meatiest role yet, topping his performance in Call Me By Your Name.

The editing lets the film down somewhat, and the relapse and rehab story arc can get a tad repetitive at times. The film also suffers from uneven pacing and a patronising tone occasionally, but what saves it are the mesmerizing performances by the lead actors. The excellent work by the director of photography and the haunting soundtrack makes Beautiful Boy a satisfying watch in the end.

Rating: My rating for Beautiful Boy is 3/5.

Who should watch this: If you are used to movies and shows like Narcos (2015), Breaking Bad (2008), The Wire (2002) or Sicario (2015) that glorify drug trafficking, give this one a watch as it brilliantly portrays the human toll drugs can exact on addicts and their families.