A family reckons with their decisions in The Son, the latest from director Florian Zeller.
Ostensibly the titular son is the teenage Nicholas, who is dropped off with his father after several years of living with his mother. He harbors some vague resentment about his parents’ divorce and specific resentment about his father’s quick reinvention with a new partner and baby. But, of course, the father was once a son himself, and taking in Nicholas causes him to re-evaluate the shortcomings of his own father and wonder whether he’s passing down the same pain.
This teaser doesn’t get into the specifics of the family dynamics, but they’re laid out clearly enough to understand the kind of character studies that will be going on. And if you know Zeller, particularly his excellent film The Father, then you can gather how deep this will go. He comes from the theater, and like The Father, The Son is an adaptation of one of his acclaimed plays.
Starring as the father in the middle of the family dynamics is Hugh Jackman, with Anthony Hopkins playing his father and Zen McGrath his teenage son. Also co-starring are Vanessa Kirby and Laura Dern.
This is a star-studded affair that promises an uncomfortable exploration of a family, and it’s teed up for an award-season run. Expect to hear a lot about this movie in the coming months.
The Son is directed by Florian Zeller and stars Hugh Jackman, Vanessa Kirby, and Zen McGrath. It will be released in the US on November 11th, 2022. Further release dates are not currently known.
Will you check this one out? Let us know in the comments!
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