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8

TVJerryJan 11, 2019

While "Beautiful Boy" examined the relationship between a young addict and a parent over several years, this one approaches the same subject in the span on one nite, Christmas Eve (and I liked it better). Lucas Hedges play the son, who comesWhile "Beautiful Boy" examined the relationship between a young addict and a parent over several years, this one approaches the same subject in the span on one nite, Christmas Eve (and I liked it better). Lucas Hedges play the son, who comes home from rehab to be with his family. When things take the inevitable turn, he and his mother (Julia Roberts) set out to right them. The approach is expectedly and relentlessly grim, but it's made engrossing by the performances and intelligent filmmaking. Hedges creates another nuanced character and Roberts gives her most moving performance, as she embodies a mother's desperate concern. Writer/director Peter Hedges (yes, Lucas' father) has crafted the work with a dramatic intensity that creates a compelling examination of addiction, recovery and most importantly, familial love.… Expand

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10

Vanessa_May 25, 2019

Accurate portrayals. Well acted and shot. Storytelling was consistent. Hit very close to home.

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8

netflicDec 17, 2018

It is an intense drama about family and drug addiction.
What do you feel and what do you do as a mom when your son (who is in a rehab) suddenly appears on a porch of your house?
Happy to see him back? Worry about three younger kids at home?It is an intense drama about family and drug addiction.
What do you feel and what do you do as a mom when your son (who is in a rehab) suddenly appears on a porch of your house?
Happy to see him back? Worry about three younger kids at home? How can you continue hoping against all odds that this time will be different, your son will get clean, will remain clean? The quintessence of this movie is the phrase of a mother whose daughter died of an overdose: even if you can't save, you have to try.

The movie is raw with emotions. It is quite long but keeps audience engaged.

Peter Hedges, director of this movie, casts his son Lukas Hedges to play Ben, and it's an excellent match. Lukas Hedges is definitely a rising star, and this year has been very good for him.
Julia Roberts plays Ben's mom, and it is one of her best performances ever.

Overall, an excellent movie, not to be missed.
Undoubtedly there will be a few Oscar nominations here.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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10

GreatMartinDec 21, 2018

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“Ben Is Back” hands down is the most emotional movie of the year. It opens with Holly (Julia Roberts) coming home from church with three of her four children who have been practicing for the Christmas pageant. Upon the arrivalInline image

“Ben Is Back” hands down is the most emotional movie of the year. It opens with Holly (Julia Roberts) coming home from church with three of her four children who have been practicing for the Christmas pageant. Upon the arrival she is first shocked and then overjoyed to see her son Ben (Lucas Hedges) standing in the driveway. He had been staying in rehab, not allowed to leave, recovering from his drug habit once again but tells her that his sponsor and the head of the sober-living facility had Okayed the trip.

Ben’s younger half-sister, Lacey (Mia Fowler) and half-brother Liam (Jakari Fraser), adore him as does the family dog. Ben’s sister Ivy (Kathryn Newton) is angry with him from previous experiences while his stepfather Neal (Courtney B. Vance) wonders aloud, “How many chances are we, the family, suppose to give Ben?” He also questions what Ben’s fate would have been if he was a black boy.

Without giving any spoilers the gist of the movie is that Ben must spend every minute of the 24 hours he will be home under the eye of his mother, including when he has to take a urinating drug test which brings some humor into a dark film concentrating on a mother’s love for a child that is the strongest love of all.

Aside from strong performances of Fowler, Fraser, Newton and Vance, there is a cameo by Rachel Bay Jones as a mother who lost her daughter to drugs and David Zaldivar and Michael Esper as part of Ben’s past.

Peter Hedges wrote and directed this film and does a fine job in both departments not overdoing either the family, rehab or drug scenes. The musical soundtrack is unobtrusive which is quite rare in films these days.

What makes this film special are the two commanding performances of the leads.

In 2016 Lucas Hedges, yes he is the son of Peter Hedges, was nominated for a best-supporting actor in his role in “Manchester by the Sea” and last month he played the gay son in “Boy Erased” who was sent to a conversion camp. In this film he lets you see what and how drugs affect a boy’s life mentally and physically and the pain he has caused his family is there on his face.

In 2000 when Julia Roberts was accepting her Oscar for Best Actress in “Erin Brockovich” the orchestra started to play her off but she stopped them saying that this may be her only chance and I hope this film proves her wrong. Roberts has a lot of stiff competition in the Best Actress category this year---sorry Glenn Close, I was rooting for you up to this point—but she gives a performance of a woman who did/does the best by her children and will fight for them no matter the cost if she feels they are right, that will touch you and move you to tears.

“Ben Is Back” is not really a “Christmas movie” but it is a heartfelt movie that will affect the parent in you whether you have children or not.

The movie and the performances by Roberts and Hedges make it a definite ‘Must See’.… Expand

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8

moviemitch96Dec 24, 2018

This film stars Lucas Hedges (who also starred in 'Boy Erased' and 'Mid90s' earlier this season) as a drug addict who returns home on Christmas Eve to his family, prompting his mother (Julia Roberts) to help him get sober more than everThis film stars Lucas Hedges (who also starred in 'Boy Erased' and 'Mid90s' earlier this season) as a drug addict who returns home on Christmas Eve to his family, prompting his mother (Julia Roberts) to help him get sober more than ever before. Also interesting is that the director of this film, Peter Hedges, just so happens to be Lucas Hedges' father. I was actually really surprised the direction this film ended up taking a quarter into it, cause what started out as another drama about the perils of drug use and the toll it takes on family quickly delved into thriller territory once it's revealed early on in the film that Hedges' character has some unfinished business with some dangerous drug dealers who have broken into his family's home. From that point on, the film becomes unexpectedly harrowing and tense, and I was really left on the edge of my seat during a handful of moments, especially towards the very end. On top of all that, Hedges and Roberts are both so fantastic and compelling together in this, bringing out some serious and raw emotion so many times throughout the film. Overall, while I did find the sudden transition to thriller rather unexpected and kind of neat even, at the same time, it did also give the film a slight tone imbalance, but other than that, this is a really hard-hitting film about drug use and the devastating effects it has on family, much like the film 'Beautiful Boy' earlier this season, only just as distressing but much more intense, which I wasn't expecting.… Expand

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9

Brent_MarchantDec 15, 2018

Why is this film being ignored (and, in some cases, unfairly bashed)? "Ben Is Back" is easily one of the best offerings of the year, featuring a well-integrated fusion of family drama and crime thriller. Julia Roberts and Lucas Hedges turn inWhy is this film being ignored (and, in some cases, unfairly bashed)? "Ben Is Back" is easily one of the best offerings of the year, featuring a well-integrated fusion of family drama and crime thriller. Julia Roberts and Lucas Hedges turn in knock-out performances worthy of awards consideration for their range of emotion and powerful delivery, and the film's well-crafted screenplay serves up an excellent mix of heartfelt emotion, gritty intensity, shocking revelation, pointed comic relief and deftly nuanced subtlety. Sadly, this appears to be one of those releases that's simply going to be ignored for honors and accolades, and that's truly unfortunate, as this is quite an unexpected gem.… Expand

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5

The3AcademySinsJun 3, 2019

Written and directed by Peter Hedges, Ben is Back takes the interesting approach of framing a story of drug addiction as a thriller. While the performances of his son Lucas Hedges and Julia Roberts are fantastic, the movie doesn't really knowWritten and directed by Peter Hedges, Ben is Back takes the interesting approach of framing a story of drug addiction as a thriller. While the performances of his son Lucas Hedges and Julia Roberts are fantastic, the movie doesn't really know what it is trying to say. On top of that, it feels very easy and very "Chicken Soup for the Soul." The plot is overly dramatic and relies way too heavily on thriller tropes rather than an actual portrayal of drug addiction. While on it's own, this isn't necessarily bad, it becomes bad when there are as many plot holes as there are in Ben is Back. However, the cinematography is great, and there are some really beautiful night scenes. All in all, Ben is Back isn't groundbreaking, but it's not bad either.… Expand

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7

JLuis_001Mar 4, 2019

Peter Hedges delivers the best film of his career, achieving a very consistent, stable and enjoyable drama.
Not necessarily a very striking film but to tell the truth it deserves more attention.
His son Lucas shows that he's here to stay.Peter Hedges delivers the best film of his career, achieving a very consistent, stable and enjoyable drama.
Not necessarily a very striking film but to tell the truth it deserves more attention.

His son Lucas shows that he's here to stay. The boy is doing things very well and although his role is quite interesting and is one of the strongest points of this story, who is more rewarding is Julia Roberts, who delivers her best performance since August: Osage County and she reminds you that she can still act quite well and honestly it's good to see her like that again.

I was told that her work in the Amazon Video series: Homecoming is also impressive, so it goes without saying that she seems to be in a good moment and for the most part I enjoyed her a lot in this film
I was told that her work in the Amazon Video series: Homecoming is also impressive, so it goes without saying that she seems to be in a good moment and for the most part, I enjoyed her a lot in this film… Expand

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5

amheretojudgeFeb 21, 2019

Back For One More Entry.

Ben Is Back Hedges is not sure about what he wants to say. And it's that uncertainty in his vocab that aches us throughout this day. He has not clearly adapted the version of or the genre of the film he wants to putBack For One More Entry.

Ben Is Back

Hedges is not sure about what he wants to say. And it's that uncertainty in his vocab that aches us throughout this day. He has not clearly adapted the version of or the genre of the film he wants to put in front of us. Maybe he is mixing up things a bit or trying to surprise his viewers, anyhoo, the result is a confused dish with plethora of ingredients and no taste to savour it. The script written by the director Peter Hedges himself, is a complete one. There is no extra branch hanging around in it for a distraction or dramatic effects.

It is written with a sense of constructing a crime thriller investigation where at the actual stakes is drama. And this is what it's entire second half is brimmed of, the investigation process carried off by a team of two partners that are trying to overcome their issues and limitations along with solving a burglary. I can imagine the bells ringing enthusiastically in maker's head as this idea illuminated in front of him. And as much as fascinating this topic of discussion is, the weaving and execution of the script is equally banal.

Which now leaves the film on the hand of our two partners in crime, Holly Burns (Julia Roberts) as the mother of a drug addict Ben Burnes played beautifully by Lucas Hedges, and they stay true to their promises till the last act. In fact, I would presume to be script written in a way to be relied upon the performances, pinning down powerful sequences one by one into script that acts like an antic to step upon, the portrayal of this mother-son equation paints this exploration dark theme by bright appealing colors.

Hedges is growing out to be one of the top contenders of current generation actors, from supporting to leading the film all on his merits he has managed to show his skills at its best. His first confessional monologue in a meeting is a fine example of it as he whips you with a big wallop of tear jerking emotions. Roberts on the other hand is an equal threat, she has more of a parallel role than a supporting one and she trying to be rigid and one dimensional when it comes to cure her son, is the ultimate armor of hers that helps her survive this battle.

Other supporting cast merely plays out to be like a pawn, where they can easily be described as those pieces of puzzles that we usually encounter on a crime drama that helps the protagonist to end the investigation sooner. A lot of films this year has chosen this theme to send out a message, each being different and intriguing on their own terms, this one stands alone for the race-against-time nature of it. Ben Is Back is almost titled as if some B grade action film is, there is a levity to it but then it also explains too much and too little of what the film is about.… Expand

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6

LamontRaymondDec 14, 2018

Julia Roberts' performance is outstanding, but it's not nearly enough to save yet another tedious movie about addiction. They always end the same way, they're always a bummer.

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6

AudraGayleJan 18, 2019

I can't say that there's anything wrong with this movie. It had great acting and cinematography. However, I simply didn't like it. Maybe it's because I grew up in a home riddled with drug and alcohol addiction? That's the only reason I canI can't say that there's anything wrong with this movie. It had great acting and cinematography. However, I simply didn't like it. Maybe it's because I grew up in a home riddled with drug and alcohol addiction? That's the only reason I can name for why I disliked--maybe even hated?--this movie and its ending.… Expand

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8

alejandro970Apr 4, 2019

Energetic Julia Roberts in family drama about how far goes the love of a mother and how much truth has to her son. The final conflict is unexpected, tragic, but encouraging. Enough for mid-week evening.

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7

Dan_BFeb 9, 2021

(Español / ENglish)

Abstract Español Regresa a mí es, si se quiere, una película pequeña sobre el reencuentro inesperado con su familia del joven Ben (Lucas Hedges), un adicto en recuperación, pero que cumple con lo que se propone abarcar y(Español / ENglish)

Abstract Español
Regresa a mí es, si se quiere, una película pequeña sobre el reencuentro inesperado con su familia del joven Ben (Lucas Hedges), un adicto en recuperación, pero que cumple con lo que se propone abarcar y narrar, sorprende con su desarrollo y ofrece una gran actuación de Julia Roberts como su madre.

Reseña Español
En la víspera de Navidad, Ben, un joven adicto internado para su recuperación (Lucas Hedges), regresa inesperadamente a su casa para pasarla con su madre Holly (Julia Roberts), su hermana y el resto de su familia. Este breve reencuentro tendrá derivaciones inesperadas.
En un principio la película de Peter Hedges plantea con contundencia las incomodidades y contradicciones hogareñas de ese reencuentro inesperado, aunque hace pensar en un desarrollo ya visto en otras ficciones dentro de los moldes del melodrama. Sin embargo, luego de un suceso que conviene no revelar, se van develando otros aspectos acerca de Ben y con ellos, otras aristas de la problemática que aborda la película, que se desliza hacia otros géneros.
Lucas Hedges nos regala nuevamente otro de sus personajes reconcentrados, que se va enriqueciendo a medida que la narración va incorporando su punto de vista. Julia Roberts interpreta maravillosamente a una suerte de mater dolorosa, transmitiendo esa incómoda mezcla de sentimientos donde el amor se combina con la vigilancia y también el arrojo.
Regresa a mí es, si se quiere, una película pequeña pero que cumple con lo que se propone abarcar y narrar y que sorprende con su desarrollo.

English Abstract Ben is back is, if you will, a small film about the unexpected reunion with his family of young Ben (Lucas Hedges), a recovering addict, but who fulfills what he sets out to cover and narrate, surprises with his development and offers a great performance from Julia Roberts as his mother.

English Review

On Christmas Eve, Ben, a young addict interned for his recovery (Lucas Hedges), unexpectedly returns to his house to spend with his mother Holly (Julia Roberts), his sister and the rest of his family. This brief reunion will have unexpected consequences.

At first, Peter Hedges's film forcefully raises the discomforts and home contradictions of this unexpected reunion, although it suggests a development already seen in other fictions within the molds of melodrama. However, after an event that should not be disclosed, other aspects about Ben are revealed and with them, other edges of the problem that the film addresses, which slides into other genres.

Lucas Hedges once again gives us another of his concentrated characters, which he enriches as the narrative incorporates his point of view. Julia Roberts wonderfully plays a kind of mater dolorosa, transmitting that uncomfortable mixture of feelings where love is combined with vigilance and also courage.

Ben is back is, if you will, a small film but that fulfills what it intends to cover and narrate and that surprises with its development.… Expand

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10

DenSantanaDec 27, 2020

Very good performances by Julia Roberts and Lucas Hedges. very engaging plot, with an ending that escapes the obvious.

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