If you thought Florian Zeller’s first film, “The Father,” was a flop, prepare to fill your tissues with tears and runny noses during the credits of his second film, “The Son.” It might be a killer watch, but the perfectly modulated drama will be an all-around contender in every category, including best picture. And it’s a film that puts Hugh Jackman at the forefront of the Best Actor race for his standout performance as a father struggling to help his troubled teenage son (newcomer Zen McGrath).
‘The Son’, which debuted at the Venice Film Festival, tells the story of Peter (Jackman), a tough lawyer who agrees to let his son Nicholas (McGrath) live with him after the child has trouble with his school. Their reunion takes place years after Peter divorced Nicholas’ mother (Laura Dern) and started a new life with his second wife Beth (Vanessa Kirby) and their baby. As the film unfolds, Peter slowly begins to recognize the agonizing torment within his depressed child.
Jackman, one of the entertainment industry’s most beloved entertainers, has just one Oscar nomination to his name, for the musical ‘Les Miserables’ – as well as a list of notable snubs that include “Logan” and “Prisoners”. That means the perpetually overlooked star could be rushing into his long-awaited moment with the Academy for a performance that lets him plumb the kind of emotional depths usually reserved for Greek tragedies.
But that only comes around the final moments of the film. What makes his performance all the more impressive is that for most of “The Son,” Jackman is meticulously reserved, internalizing the frustration of a man seeking a quick fix for his son’s deep-rooted mental health issues. . Parts of the performance are reminiscent of his own career best turn in the criminally ignored “Prisoners” (2013). It’s a performance steeped in the kind of seething frustration and mounting desperation that reminded me of previous Best Actor nominees such as Jude Law in “Cold Mountain” (2003) or Adam Driver in “Marriage Story” (2019).
Writer and director Florian Zeller has quickly become one of gaming’s most exciting visual storytellers. His ability to make a central location as vital as the actors who inhabit it is quite striking. In this case, much of the film takes place in Jackman’s trendy apartment in Brooklyn, a bright place that gradually becomes more stuffy. Like “The Father,” which also made great use of the protagonist’s living space, don’t count technical assistants for production design, cinematography, and film editing to break through.
Of course, reigning original score champion Hans Zimmer (“Dune”) is back in the thick of the race with “The Son,” showing restraint in pivotal moments and knowing when to let the bottoms swell off the ropes. take over. Former winner for “The Lion King” (1994), the composer is back on the table in a significant way.
Sony Pictures Classics will participate in the film and its awards campaign. They will have the difficult task of raising Laura Dern and Vanessa Kirby into the supporting actress lineup. Dern has the more “traditional” role which tends to land actor names and could benefit from a key scene with Jackman at a restaurant where she chooses the crust from their failed relationship. Plus, Dern, who won an Oscar for “Marriage Story,” is a cherished figure in Hollywood.
However, Kirby reinvents the wheel of acting with a masterfully executed physical depiction, which shows her growing concern over Nicholas’ behavior and her motherly protection for her newborn baby. Emerging from her first nomination for her courageous performance as a grieving mother in “Pieces of a Woman” (2020), as Jackman presents a masterclass on internalization. In fact, I believe her “Oscar clip” is a wide look she gives Jackman in a moving scene at the couple’s apartment. Really heartbreaking.
If there’s one category that’s been opened up to two actors from the same movie, it’s supporting actress with 33% of Oscar lineups having two or more women from the same movie with nearly half becoming ultimately winners as Melissa Leo (“The Fighter”) and Octavia Spencer (“The Helper”). One hurdle is that there will be multiple movies trying to get two names from the same movie such as “She Said” (Jennifer Ehle and Carey Mulligan or Zoe Kazan), “The Woman King” (Lashana Lynch and Thuso Mbedu) and ” Everything Everywhere, All at Once” (Jamie Lee Curtis and Stephanie Hsu).
What a discovery Zeller made with young McGrath as the titular son. In his first role, McGrath gives what is in my opinion the best performance in the film. He is able to channel endless faces that suffer from depression (I am one of those faces myself). Brave is too trivial a description for what he achieves here. It’s damn close to perfect, reminiscent of past winners like Timothy Hutton in “Ordinary People” (1980). McGrath will likely compete in the best supporting actor category, even if the role straddles the line between lead and supporting.
After his second victory for having co-written “The Father” with Zeller, Christopher Hampton’s latest collaboration with the playwright could bring him back home, especially since the adapted screenplay category promises to be a little light.
The main challenge for Sony Pictures Classics is to ensure that enough voters vote for the film. “The Son” will be one of several features in the race that deals with heavy topics.
But I say, keep bringing it, Zeller. The race is on.
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