Tag: Beautiful Boy

BEAUTIFUL BOY – Review

TimothŽe Chalamet as Nic Sheff and Steve Carell as David Scheff star in BEAUTIFUL BOY. Photo courtesy of Amazon Studios

Addiction is an issue that seems to touch everyone in some way, directly or in directly, through family or friends. In BEAUTIFUL BOY, Timothee Chalamet gives a heart-wrenching performance as a teen who goes from alcohol to meth despite being a good student with a promising future and the support of his loving father, played by Steve Carrell. Based on dual memoirs by the father, David Sheff, a freelance writer, and his son Nic, BEAUTIFUL BOY takes us on the harrowing roller coaster ride of addiction, recovery and relapse, as this family goes through the steps of secrecy, denial, treatment and dashed dreams.

Timothee Chalamet, who many audience may know from his Oscar-nominated role in last year’s CALL ME BY YOUR NAME or his role in LADY BIRD, plays Nic Sheff, a bright boy from a financially-comfortable, loving family. Nic seems to have everything going for him yet he falls into addiction. Raised by his father (Carrell) and stepmother Karen (Maura Tierney) after his parent’s divorce when he was young, Nic lives in an idyllic home in the woods outside San Francisco, where his younger brother and sister play in the sprinkler and his artist step mother paints. His father is proud that his son has been accepted by every college where he applied, so he is taken aback when his son hints that he might not want to go to college. Angrily arguing, son Nic drops the subject and resumes his pleasant facade.

Flemish director Felix van Groeningen has a rare gift in having two memoirs to draw on for this drama, his first in English. In exploring this family’s journey through addiction. BEAUTIFUL BOY is able to present both the father’s viewpoint and his son’s view of this experience, which the director does by shifting focus from one to the other. Early on, Carrell’s David is focused on how close he and his son are, reinforced in a series of flashbacks to Nic’s childhood, and his disbelief that there could be something going on with him of which he was not aware. Reading Nic’s journals provides a startling wake-up call and insight on his son’s inner growth and buried turmoil, something any parent might note.

Nic’s mother, played by Amy Ryan, is involved in her son’s life but David is the primary parent. While David seems a loving parent, his tendency to bossiness, to argue and criticize crops up frequently in his dealing with both his ex-wife and with son Nic. Nic responds by shutting down, and diffusing his father’s pressure with a charming smile and seeming acquiescence.

Director van Groeningen’s drama offers plenty of insights on how this kind of tragedy can happen in any family, even a loving one that seems to being doing everything right. Likewise, Nic seems like a kid unlike to seek refuge in drugs. A talented writer and artist, he is involved in school activities and seems on a good life path, yet Nic progresses from drinking with friends to experimenting with various drugs. When he gets to meth, Nic writes in his journal that “the world went from black and white to Technicolor.” Instantly, it becomes his drug of choice, with disastrous results for everyone around him. It takes David a while to comprehend what is happening with his son, but he is tenacious in his attempts to rescue his son.

Anyone who has encountered addiction first hand knows rescue has to come from within the person addicted, and family and friends can merely help. BEAUTIFUL BOY explores with honesty and realism the various aspects of addiction and this family’s attempt to cope with it. This is not an easy film to watch, particularly for those more directly touched by the subject, but the fine performances and fact-based story, from two viewpoints, gives the film a compelling strength.

The cast is particularly good, with supporting roles played by Kaitlyn Dever as Nic’s girlfriend Lauren and Timothy Hutton as a therapist.

Where the film often falls short is in its heavy-handed score, including the classic blues song St. James Infirmary and the odd insertion of Sunrise, Sunset from “Fiddler on the Roof.” The music is sometimes jarring and damps down any moments of hopefulness.

Nic and his family go through many of the awful experiences of addiction – with bouts of rehab, relapse, brushes with overdose,deceit and denial, and enabling behavior, although, unlike many, Nic seems to avoid serious involvement with law enforcement. Nic’s addiction divides the family, with some wanting to distance themselves and others doing too much.

Timothee Chalamet is outstanding in this difficult role. No matter who far Nic sinks into this whole, Chalamet retains a certain level of our sympathy for his pain and powerless against the drug. Some scenes between him and Carrell are simply heart-rending, as we see both the gulf of understanding between them and the love that wants to bridge it.

This is a worthy subject but a hard film to watch, and it does not end with the most positive note, since recovery is a long process. Chalamet with likely be a name mentioned for awards this coming season, as his performance confirms the depth of his talent, and his performance alone is one reason to take in this true-story drama.

RATING: 3 1/2 out of 5 stars

Amazon Studios Releases BEAUTIFUL BOY Trailer And Poster Featuring Steve Carell, Timothée Chalamet

Here’s a first look at the trailer for BEAUTIFUL BOY starring Steve Carell, Timothée Chalamet, Maura Tierney and Amy Ryan.

Amazon Studios will release BEAUTIFUL BOY in theaters October 12, 2018.

Based on the best-selling pair of memoirs from father and son David and Nic Sheff, Beautiful Boy chronicles the heartbreaking and inspiring experience of survival, relapse, and recovery in a family coping with addiction over many years.

In 2017, Timothée Chalamet starred in Greta Gerwig’s directorial debut LADY BIRD and Scott Cooper’s western HOSTILES, and in Luca Guadagnino’s romance CALL ME BY YOUR NAME. He earned  Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, Screen Actors Guild Award, and BAFTA Award for Best Actor nominations.

BEAUTIFUL BOY is from director Felix van Groeningen. This is his English-language debut. His 2012 film, THE BROKEN CIRCLE BREAKDOWN, was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

BEAUTIFUL BOY is rated R.

Visit the official site: https://www.beautifulboy.movie/

DALLAS IFF Announces Honoree, Centerpieces, Target Competition Line Up

The DALLAS International Film Festival presented by Cadillac Announces Ann-Margret to receive the DALLAS Star Award
 
BEAUTIFUL BOY, OK BUCKAROOS and SOUL SURFER named as the Centerpiece screeningsAll Selections in the Target Documentary and Narrative CompetitionsThe DALLAS International Film Festival presented by Cadillac announced today that award-winning actress Ann-Margret will be honored with the DALLAS Star Award at the upcoming festival (March 31 – April 10, 2011). This marks the first announcement of the prestigious DALLAS Star Award Honorees.

Poignant dramas BEAUTIFUL BOY and SOUL SURFER and the world premiere of OK BUCKAROOS will be featured in the coveted Centerpiece screening slots. Fourteen films will vie for the unrestricted $25,000 Target cash prize in both the Target Documentary Feature and Narrative Feature Competitions.

The selection of Ann-Margret as a recipient of the DALLAS Star Award follows a DALLAS IFF Honoree Hall of Fame that features esteemed greats such as Sydney Pollack, Lauren Bacall, Adrien Brody, Charlize Theron, Frank Darabont, Kathryn Bigelow, John Lee Hancock, Peter Bogdanovich, Marvin Hamlischand and freshly minted Academy Award-winner Wally Pfister to name but a few.  2011 will mark Ann-Margret’s 50th year in the entertainment industry, a career that has taken her from her early starring roles in BYE BYE BIRDIE, STATE FAIR, as well as VIVA LAS VEGAS opposite Elvis Presley, to an illustrious recording, stage, television and film career that has seen her nominated for two Academy Awards (CARNAL KNOWLEDGE (1971), TOMMY (1975)) and a winner of five Golden Globes (“Most Promising Newcomer” (1962), CARNAL KNOWLEDGE, TOMMY, WHO WILL LOVE MY CHILDREN? (TV-1983) and A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE (TV-1984)).

Ann-Margret’s award-winning roles in TOMMY and CARNAL KNOWLEDGE pitched her against legends Roger Daltrey and Jack Nicholson with other countless memorable performances including THE TRAIN ROBBERS, Oliver Stone’s ANY GIVEN SUNDAY and GRUMPY OLD MEN starring John Wayne, Al Pacino, Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon respectively.  Most recently, Ann-Margret won a 2010 Emmy Award for her performance in LAW & ORDER: SVU.

“Ann-Margret is a rare talent in that she has beautifully balanced live musical performances with incredible dramatic film roles throughout her career,” said the DALLAS Film Society President & CEO, Tanya Foster. “It is a real honor for us to publicly acknowledge the contribution she has made to the art of film.”

The DALLAS Star Award, designed by Steuben Crystal, is courtesy of Neiman Marcus.  Ann-Margret will be presented with the award on the Opening Night of the festival. The world premiere of her latest film, LUCKY, will take place the following night on Friday April 1st.

DALLAS IFF’S Centerpiece screenings are works from acclaimed actors, directors and producers that hope to inspire conversation, spark imagination and encourage contemplation.  In announcing BEAUTIFUL BOY, SOUL SURFER and OK BUCKAROOS as the three Centerpieces, DALLAS IFF is staying true to finding films that do just this. Although very different works of art, both BEAUTIFUL BOY and SOUL SURFER focus on the emotional impact that tragedy has on the family unit, whilst OK BUCKAROOS is an insightful journey through the life of music legend, Jerry Jeff Walker.

In Shawn Ku’s hard-hitting poignant drama BEAUTIFUL BOY, starring Michael Sheen and Maria Bello, a couple in the midst of a rocky marriage suddenly have to face the devastating news that their son has committed a mass shooting before taking his own life.  The US Premiere of BEAUTIFUL BOY will take place at DALLAS IFF and it will bring the film home to Dallas for natives Lee Clay (producer) and cast members Meatloaf and Alan Tudyk. The cast also includes Moon Bloodgood, Kyle Gallner, Darren O’Hare and Deidrie Henry.

Based on the true story of surfer Bethany Hamilton, Sean McNamara’s heart-wrenching yet inspirational SOUL SURFER sees a family, living an idyllic life in Hawaii, thrown into turmoil when their daughter/sister loses an arm, and nearly her life, in a vicious shark attack.  The 2008 DALLAS Star Award recipient Helen Hunt joins Dennis Quaid as Bethany’s parents with rising star AnnaSophia Robb as Bethany. Carrie Underwood, Lorraine Nicolson, Ross Thomas andChris Brochu also star.

Patrick Tourville’s OK BUCKAROOS is the story of a troubadour’s journey in the last years of the twentieth century.  Jerry Jeff Walker was a street singer in the sixties.  In the seventies he led a musical movement and in the eighties he walked away from the recording industry.  Tourville’s film explores the 50-year journey of this Gypsy Song Man from Upstate New York to the beaches of Florida and the hustling sidewalks of New Orleans to Independence Day in 2009 and a hot summer’s night in Round Rock, Texas.

For the fifth consecutive year, Target is enhancing their mission of fostering the creative spirit of film by presenting the winners of the Documentary Feature and Narrative Feature competitions with the Target Filmmaker Award and an unrestricted $25,000 cash prize for each category. Seven films in each competition will be judged by a jury of industry professionals and the winners will be announced at the DALLAS Film Society Honors on April 8.

“Target is thrilled to be supporting the DALLAS International Film Festival once again,” said Dustee Tucker, VP of Communications for Target and a member of the DALLAS Film Festival Advisory Board. “We believe in the importance of making art accessible to all and Target is very excited to present independent filmmakers with $25,000 and the Target Filmmaker Award in hopes of inspiring them and countless others to continue discovering their artistic vision in film.”James Faust, Artistic Director of the DALLAS International Film Festival adds: “This year, we have fourteen incredible films lined up in competition, with two World Premieres and one US Premiere in the Documentary Narrative competition alone. I urge audiences to come see these films in competition – it is cutting edge, international cinema at its very best.”

Brothers and University of Texas alums, Jack and Yossy Zagha, bring their comedic ADIÓS MUNDO CRUEL (GOODBYE CRUEL WORLD) to Dallas, a film that was inspired by Jack’s own experience of being mugged in Mexico City.  US Premiere PROSECUTOR explores the behind-the-scenes drama of the tumultuous year-in-the-life of the International Criminal Court’s first Chief Prosecutor, the controversial Argentine jurist, Luis Moerno Ocampo.  Two world premieres in the documentary competition promise to engage audiences: THE GREATER GOOD will incite debate as it highlights families whose lives have been forever changed by vaccine choices and ZERO PERCENT follows the lives of men who experience the transformative power of education within the notorious Sing Sing Correctional Facility.

The DALLAS International Film Festival presented by Cadillac will run March 31 – April 10, 2011. Passes are currently on sale, tickets go on sale March 17. Tickets will be made available via online (www.dallasfilm.org).
 

The Official Selections Include:


Centerpiece Screenings

BEAUTIFUL BOY (USA) – US PREMIERE

Director: Shawn Ku
In Shawn Ku’s emotional drama, BEAUTIFUL BOY, a married couple on the verge of separation struggle to deal with their own personal loss whilst trying to find refuge from the public and the media after their son commits a mass shooting and kills himself.  Starring Michael Sheen, Maria Bello, Alan Tudyk and Moon Bloodgood.

OK BUCKAROOS (USA) – WORLD PREMIERE

Directed by: Patrick Tourville
Patrick Tourville’s documentary OK BUCKAROOS is the story of Jerry Jeff Walker whose music has led him from the nation’s biggest arenas to hundred-year old honky-tonks. Walker is an artist who has been a cog in the wheel of the recording industry’s star-making machinery and an involuntary pioneer on the frontier of artistic independence. Among those appearing in the documentary are Jerry Jeff Walker and Willie Nelson.

SOUL SURFER (USA)

Director: Sean McNamara
SOUL SURFER chronicles the inspirational story of surfer Bethany Hamilton who lost her left arm following a shark attack and the subsequent trials that she and her family go through in both her physical recovery and her emotional battle to continue surfing. Starring Dennis Quaid, Helen Hunt, AnnaSophia Robb, Lorraine Nicholson, Carrie Underwood, Kevin Sorbo, Jeremy Sumpter, Ross Thomas, Sonya Balmores Chung and Chris Brochu.

Target Narrative Feature Competition


ADIÓS MUNDO CRUEL (Goodbye Cruel World) (Mexico)

Director: Jack Zagha
When a hard-working accountant is let go from his job because of the economic slump, he finds a new way of earning a living: becoming part of a criminal gang. ADIÓS MUNDO CRUEL is a creative comedy from Mexico that finds humor in a series of unfortunate events.  Starring Carlos Alberto Orozco, Mónica Bejarano, JoséMontini, Lourdes Villarreal, Sandra Sánchez Cantú, Carlos Aragón, Justo Martínez and Pedro Gámez.

BOY WONDER (USA)

Director: Michael Morrissey
After witnessing the brutal murder of his mother, a young Brooklyn boy grows up obsessed with finding her killer. BOY WONDER challenges morality by exploring distorted perceptions of what is right and what is justified. The film stars James Russo, Zulay Henao and Tracy Middendorf.

JESS + MOSS (USA)

Director: Clay Jeter
A series of vignettes involving memories of companionship and sexual awakening shared by two second cousins, JESS + MOSS captures the evocative and haunting character of the dark fire tobacco fields of rural Western Kentucky. Cast includes Sarah Hagan, Austin Vickers and Haley Strode.

PARKED (IRELAND, FINLAND)

Director: Darragh Byrne
A proud man living in his car decides to become a better person after being inspired by a young drug addict. Byrne’s PARKED is a moving, uplifting film about friendship, trust and the need to feel truly at home. Stars Colm Meaney, Colin Morgan and Milka Ahlroth.

THE PRESENCE (USA)

Director: Tom Provost
Provost’s stunning directorial debut, THE PRESENCE, is a darkly romantic ghost story that follows a woman’s (Academy Award winner Mira Sorvino) relationship with an apparition in her isolated cabin in Oregon.  With the unexpected arrival of the woman’s boyfriend, the spirit’s haunting becomes more obsessive. Starring Mira Sorvino, Shane West and Justin Kirk.

SMALL TOWN MURDER SONGS (Canada)

Director: Ed Gass-Donnelly
A modern, gothic tale of crime and redemption about an aging police officer from a small Ontario Mennonite town who hides a violent past until a local murder upsets the calm of his newly reformed life.  Stars Martha Plimpton, Peter Stormare and Jill Hennessy.

SURROGATE VALENTINE(USA)

Director: Dave Boyle
Directed by Dave Boyle, SURROGATE VALENTINE is about a San Francisco indie musician who lives a life on the road, navigating friendships and relationships. The film stars Goh Nakamura, Chadd Stoops and Lynn Chen.

Target Documentary Feature Competition


BEING ELMO: A PUPPETEER’S JOURNEY (USA)

Director: Constance Marks
The Muppet Elmo is one of the most beloved characters among children across the globe. Constance Marks’ BEING ELMO uncovers the unlikely man behind the puppet – the heart and soul of Elmo – Kevin Clash. Featuring interviews with Frank Oz, Rosie O’Donnell, Whoopi Goldberg, Carroll Spinney, Joan Ganz Cooney, Marty Robinson, Fran Brill, and Bill Barretta.

ELEVATE (USA)

Director: Anne Buford
From rural Senegal to American Prep schools, ELEVATE documents the basketball journey of four particularly tall African teenagers with NBA dreams.

THE GREATER GOOD (USA) – WORLD PREMIERE

Directors: Chris Pilaro, Kendall Nelson
Pilaro and Nelson’s THE GREATER GOOD looks behind the fear, hype and politics that polarize people into emotionally charged pro-vaccine or anti-vaccine camps.

NORMAN MAILER: THE AMERICAN (USA)

Director: Joseph Mantegna
Mantegna documents the life and times of controversial, celebrated post-WWII American writer Norman Mailer as told through the people who knew him personally.  Interviews include Muhammad Ali, Beverly Bentley and William F. Buckley.

PROSECUTOR (CANADA) – US PREMIERE

Director: Barry Stevens
A fascinating story with extraordinary inside access, PROSECUTORfollows the Chief Prosecutor, Luis Moreno-Ocampo through the first trials of the newly formed International Criminal Court. He’s a hero to genocide survivors, but has bitter enemies on both the right and the left.  Featured interviews include Luis Moreno-Ocampo, Mahmood Mamdani, Ben Ferencz, Silas Chekera, Sir Geoffrey Nice.

WILD HORSE, WILD RIDE(USA)

Director: Alex Dawson, Greg Gricus
WILD HORSE, WILD RIDEfollows a handful of unforgettable characters who set out on a 100-day quest to tame a totally wild mustang for a Texas competition. This stunning documentary highlights the profound bond between people and animals.

ZERO PERCENT (USA) – WORLD PREMIERE

Director: Timothy Skousen
Skousen gives his audience rare access within the walls of the Sing Sing Correctional facility.  The inmates experience the power of education while going through a rigorous college program called Hudson Link – with astounding statistical results.

ABOUT THE DALLAS FILM SOCIETY
The DALLAS Film Society celebrates films and their impact on society.  A 501(c)3 non-profit organization, the DALLAS Film Society recognizes and honors filmmakers for their achievements in enhancing the creative community, provides educational programs to students to develop better understanding of the role of film in today’s world, and promotes the City of Dallas and its commitment to the art of filmmaking. The annual DALLAS International Film Festival, scheduled for March 31-April 10, 2011, is a presentation of the DALLAS Film Society. In addition to producing one of the largest festivals in the Southwest, the Society produces numerous year round events, screening series and partnership programs with arts organizations around the city.  For more information, call (214) 720-0555, or visit www.dallasfilm.org.  The offices of the DALLAS Film Society are located at 3625 North Hall Street, Suite 740, Dallas, TX 75219.

2011 DALLAS International Film Festival presented by Cadillac – Festival Sponsors:  Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, Barefoot Wine, Baylor Heart and Vascular Hospital, Bright Realty, Cerón Salon, CBS Radio, Colibri Promotions, D Magazine, Design Expediting Services International, Inc., El Creative, Faulkner Design Group, Forté Public Relations, Fun Flicks Outdoor Movies, Gordon and The Whale, GrandLuxe Magazine, Joule, A Luxury Collection Hotel, MetroPCS, Metroplex Cadillac Dealers, Mockingbird Station, Modern Luxury Dallas, Movie Magic, MPS Studios Dallas, My Sweet Charity, Neiman Marcus, Post Asylum, Pure Evil Music & Sound Design, REEL FX ENTERTAINMENT, Red Carpet Crash, Screen International, smartwater, Stella Artois, Target, The Macallan Single Malt Scotch Whisky, The Popcorn List, Time Warner Cable, TM Advertising, TXU Energy, West Village, WFAA-TV, Whole Foods Market, WRR Classical 101.1 FM

ABOUT CADILLAC
Cadillac has been a leading luxury auto brand since 1902. In recent years, Cadillac has engineered a historic renaissance led by artful engineering and global expansion. The Metroplex Cadillac Dealers are comprised of eight dealerships throughout North Texas, committed to supporting the artistic talent and achievements in performance and visual arts within the community.  More information on Cadillac and their affiliation with the Arts can be found at metroplexcadillacdealers.com

ABOUT TARGET
Minneapolis-based Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT) serves guests at 1,755 stores in 49 states nationwide and at Target.com. In addition, the company operates a credit card segment that offers branded proprietary credit card products.Since 1946, Target has given 5 percent of its income through community grants and programs; today, that giving equals more than $3 million a week. For more information about Target’s commitment to corporate responsibility, visit Target.com/hereforgood.