Indie Gems: Beautiful Boy

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Do you blame the parents?

While I've been waiting patiently for We Need To Talk About Kevin to come my way, I started looking around for movies like it just for kicks. This is how I came across Beautiful Boy.

Kate (Maria Bello) and Bill (Michael Sheen) are a couple that's possibly on the edge of getting a divorce. They're growing apart, and with their only son away at college what's holding them back? That is until their son, Sam (Kyle Gallner) opens fire on campus and kills 17 other people before killing himself. They are now not only faced with the difficult decision of what to do in wake of this tragedy, but now their feelings towards each other will get the ultimate test.

What this movie did very well was show us the raw emotions that Kate and Bill are going through. They don't know why Sammy did what he did, and neither do  we. A video Sammy made for the world to see is only shown in part, so we don't get an answer. It shows us how miserable that must be to be the parents of a murderer, you ask yourself "Is this my fault?" "Was I a bad parent?" I thought Bello and Sheen were top notch as the troubled couple, and a scene with them in their hotel room is particularly powerful.

Recommended: Yes

Grade: B

Memorable Quote: "I wish we never would've had him!" - Bill (Michael Sheen)



Comments

  1. Candice FrederickDecember 16, 2011 at 8:57 PM

    yes! i really liked the characters in this movie. they seem so real, raw even. unlike those in rabbit hole.

    ReplyDelete

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