‘Beautiful Boy’ is a movie directed by Felix Van Groegningen’s . The movie tells the heart breaking story of a father, desperate to save his son from the clutches of drug addiction. Based on the memoir, of the journalist David Sheff, the film chronicles the protagonist’s son Nic’s descent into methamphetamine addiction and how he, the father, stood by his side through relapse and recovery.
Actor Steve Carell does an honest and touching job in the role of David and the egregiously beautiful Timothée Chalamet is earnest and appealing playing Nic, David’s son from his first marriage. Maura Tierney plays David’s second wife, Karen, and the mother of his two other much younger children. Karen is naturally concerned about Nic, but also angry at the way David is neglecting his new family for what increasingly looks like a destructive father-son relationship.
Several movies, as well as documentaries have been made on drug addiction and how drugs have destroyed people’s lives, yet ‘Beautiful Boy ‘ is a beautiful story not just another movie of a junkie who ruins his life. It also realistically captures the struggles and pangs endured by the loved ones who hopelessly continue to hope and struggle to redeem the abuser. The movie also speaks about relationship dynamics, particularly between a parent and child. About knowing when to let go and when to hold on. Modern Psychology may term this behavior as ‘Over Parenting’ or Helicopter Parenting.
I believe that an Indian audience or for that matter most Asian cultures, would be able to relate to this theme, as for us, over-parenting is the norm. In India, parents almost always willingly, blame themselves for the wrong choices made by their children and continue to atone for their mistakes or suffer guilt their entire life. Steve Carell is seen almost destroying his own life as well as that of his second family, in the hope of bringing back his son.
In the climax, David Sheff decides to let go and let his son take responsibility for himself. This movie haunted me a for a long time. I was thinking about the conflict David was going through. Feeling so sorry at his helplessness and his pain. Had I been in David’s shoes, would I have been able to let go ? What if the boy had died ? Would I have felt guilty or peacefully reconciled with the fact that I had done my best ? I don’t know. However, weather I or any of us accept it or not, the Truth is that ‘ Sometimes you can’t save someone from themselves'.