ben is back mall scene

It starts at the mall, where she sees the elderly physician whose painkiller prescription she blames for Bens habit, and where Ben crosses paths with an old acquaintance. At Family Day, Queen Leah, Audrey's grandmother, believes Mal is Maleficent and causes a scene. Consequently, they set up a base at the village center and scanned the neighborhood. Shes taken him Christmas shopping so hell have appropriate clothes to wear at church that night. Acclaimed director Peter Hedges (Dan In Real Life) reared the 2018 familial micro-drama movie Ben Is Back starring his son Lucas Hedges (Manchester by the Sea). He tells Holly he needs to go to a support group meeting, where he later shares the story of how he almost overdosed, but was saved by his mom and the family dog, Ponce. By signing up, you agree to our privacy policy and terms of use, and to receive messages from the Big Issue and our partners. A challenge in a movie like this for its makers as well as its audience is that there are few original or satisfying answers to any of those. At the restaurant, Ben meets his old buddy Spencer, who now goes by the name of Spider. Ive been with you the whole time. Excuse me! The girl at the meeting. And Ben going from cocky and confident to reduced and regressing in age and fearful and apologetic You think Im an idiot. All right. Ben's mother, Holly (Julia Roberts), is relieved and welcoming but wary of her son staying clean. That evening, the family returns home from church to find that someone has broken into their home and taken Ponce. We welcome suggestions & criticisms -- and we will accept compliments too. So when the White House dodged the issue this week, I knew I had to talk about it. She has made sacrifices, worked hard, raised good kids and as a result has earned a certain amount of deference. Director Peter Hedges Writer Peter Hedges Stars Julia Roberts Lucas Hedges Courtney B. Vance See production, box office & company info Watch on HBO Max with subscription More watch options Add to Watchlist 145 User reviews 162 Critic reviews 66 Metascore Awards Still, she hides her jewellery at the top of the wardrobe. . The production unit lensed several exterior scenes along Lake Avenue and Nepperhan Avenue, Central Park Avenue, and Mildred Street. Add a gift receipt for easy returns. Film directors walk viewers through one scene of their movies, showing the magic, motives and the mistakes from behind the camera. How does any addict? The film opens as he returns from his stint at rehab on Christmas Eve. Ben Is Back Ending, Explained: Is Ben Dead or Alive. Copyright 2023 Salon.com, LLC. What they dont say to each other is as important as what they do say. Ben Is Back also traverses the same territory as the recent, better drama, Beautiful Boy, about a young mans addiction and the impact it had on his father and family. A woman takes her son to a cemetery and asks him where he wants to be buried. And Julias switch from happy mother shopping with her son to concerned and panicked mother is Mom, it was a joke. so powerful. Excuse me can I get a key to this door, please? This scene is a microcosm for the film that in Holly, at the beginning, you see the hope she has that this is going to be a fun thing. And she thinks shes covered all the tracks. Inline image. SPOILERS AHEAD. Holly is eager to make Bens unexpected arrival seem as normal as possible, laughing too hard at his jokes and buzzing about the kitchen in a flurry of activity. As she follows Ben through an increasingly harrowing day and night, Holly gets a tour of an underworld that exists in the shadows of her sunny, stable reality. Ben is also not confident in himself and his sponsor asked him not to return home in the first place since there are too many triggers. Ben Is Back is a 2018 American drama film written and directed by Peter Hedges, and starring Julia Roberts, Lucas Hedges and Courtney B. Vance. Newton is quite good, too, as the familys voice of reason. business Retail. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. However, Neal and Ivy think differently Neal, since he has paid for Bens rehab sessions, and Ivy, since as Bens biological sister, Ivy has seen Ben since childhood. On the other hand, Ford Wheeler, the set decorator of Stranger Than Fiction fame, took up the role of production designer in the movie. However, Mr. Richmond did not abduct Ponce, making Holly and Ben move on to the next house. At the same time, a monologue Hedges delivers when Ben shares at a Narcotics Anonymous meeting is a powerful example of this young actors range, from swagger to introspection and, ultimately, regret. Hedges film is stronger in its first half, when its an understated character drama, than in its second half, when it morphs into a contrived crime thriller. Its not as interesting narratively or as relatable emotionally. It was a crucial junction in the filming schedule. He doesnt have the desperation that Timothe Chalamet displayed in Beautiful Boy that made that performance resonate. And thats especially clear when he runs into people from his past. Ben has been in rehab for quite a few months, struggling with an Oxycotin addiction. A young man is agitated when he goes into his attic and says that he used to hide his drug stash there. A young man talks about people in a car flatulating repeatedly. Hollys parental crisis is also a social crisis. Should they believe him? Menu. And then she checks him because she has concerns. But you would never forgive yourself for not trying." Hedges is as excellent as he was in "Manchester By the Sea," but it's fair to say the movie belongs to Roberts. The next scene they're at a gas station with no explanation as to how they got the broken down vehicle there. And a scene between the two mothers is painful, but in a manipulative, not heartbreaking way. Famed civil rights attorney Ben Crump has been retained by the family of Z'Kye Husain, a Black eight-grader who was forcefully detained by Bridgewater Township police officers after a physical. The film eventually goes off in thriller-like direction with Ben and Holly searching for the family dog, which has been stolen by one of Bens former associates to whom he owes a debt. Look how his skin glows. A young man says, "You're still scared of me," to his family. Reports suggested that a few sequences in the film may have been lensed along Beach Avenue and Linden Avenue as well. tipsy bartender emma break up; asl sign for coast guard In fulfilling the assignment, Clayton offers Ben a pouch of the drug to reward Bens service in the smuggling operation. See ratings & reviews at Critics.com. Holly has two kids with her second husband (Courtney B. Vance) in addition to Ben and his younger sister, Ivy (Kathryn Newton), from her first. YouBen- will immediately submit to a drug test! Parents need to know that Ben Is Back is a drama that centers on the United States' opioid epidemic. She knows that Ben is in another town, but Dolly lies that they split up to cover more ground. These scenes are the most engaging, but that may be because they are action-oriented, and the characters have finally stopped freakin talking about their problems. But Julia Roberts puts everyone in the shade, even Hedges one of my favourite young actors (he played Casey Afflecks nephew in Manchester By the Sea). But Ben leaves with Dollys car, which gets Dolly worried. The disease of addiction can afflict anyone, anywhere, Hedges reminds us, just as Beautiful Boy did earlier this year. 10. And then watching how she can, on a dime, flip from the happy mom to panicked mom and fierce mom Where did you get this? Whereas it appears that a few shots were recorded outside the strip mall as well as the Haas Pharmacy at 62 Orange Turnpike. Its here that the film starts leaking suspense. Ben (Lucas Hedges) has no father and has turned to overdependence on prescription medication. But shes not paying full attention. His sister and stepfather are, however, deeply. His Mother Holly is ecstatic, as are his young step-siblings. It is hard to believe anything Ben says when he arrives or opens his mouth. Clayton, according to Ben, is a dangerous person, and Ben is not ready to risk Dollys life when he meets Clayton. Stars: Dan Russell, Teresa Gallagher, Kerry Shale, Kyla Rae Kowalewski. SALON is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office as a trademark of Salon.com, LLC. When Holly loses Ben, she searches for him not unlike George C. Scott in Hardcore going into the seedy world of pornography to find his lost daughter. While Beths suspicion conditions the audience, Dolly gives saving Ben one last shot. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Ben soon makes eye contact with a man who is presumably linked to his drug-dealing. he locks himself in a mall fitting room. He has sworn that he wont, and part of him doesnt want to, but the other part has made him a liar, and worse, many times before. Ben's wary mother Holly Burns (Roberts) welcomes her beloved son's return, but soon learns he is still very much in harm's way. After pressure from her husband, she insists she will stick to Ben for the next 24 hours. Bens sister, Ivy (Kathryn Newton), wants him gone. What's coming to your cinema in 2023, For your consideration the potential 2023 Oscar winners, We spent a day streaming bad Christmas movies and this is what it did to our brain, Here's when people will get the next cost of living payment in 2023, 'My elderly mother was in an ambulance for 18 hours. Let us get to the ending. His disease is acting through him, as if he were possessed by a demon that is also his double. [12], According to the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 81% of critics have given the film a positive review based on 221 reviews, with an average rating of 6.9/10. In a fast food joint she bumps into the familys old doctor, now retired, who first prescribed Ben painkilling pills aged 14 after a minor snowboarding accident. The film is actually most interesting to watch Hollys moral compass shift in any direction to help her son especially when she justifies his bad behavior to help him process his past actions. By what name was Ben Is Back (2018) officially released in India in Hindi? But this is one of those rare Hollywood movies that keeps you guessing, where you dont see the ending coming 20 minutes in. After pressure from her husband, she insists she will stick to Ben for the next 24 hours. He wisely lets his actors act, giving them space to indicate so much in just a meaningful look. A woman walks alone in a dark alley and finds her son's phone in a garbage dumpster. All rights reserved. He also keeps Ben and Hollys ordeal safely within the boundaries of convention, focusing on the particulars of one familys pain. You can learn to parallel park there, you can make out with your high school boyfriend . Ben Is Back NYT Critic's Pick Directed by Peter Hedges Drama R 1h 43m By A.O. Follow him on Twitter. Meanwhile, shes trying to keep all the plates spinning for the rest of the family on this day of great expectations. Hollywood films about addiction tend to be tasteful, well-meaning awardsy dramas. US Release Date: December 7, 2018 Starring: Julia Roberts, Lucas Hedges Directed By: Peter Hedges Synopsis: Follows the charming yet troubled Ben Burns (Hedges), who returns home to his. Does Ben relapse? Powered by WordPress.com VIP. And hes with his mother Holly, played by Julia Roberts. The Bottom Line Nerve-racking but not bleak or without humor. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. [Read our critics top 10 films of the year.]. A young man seems nervous when he sees another young man in a shopping mall. We've gone through several editorial changes since we started covering films in 1992 and older reviews are not as complete & accurate as recent ones; we plan to revisit and correct older reviews as resources and time permits. It is as if he has come home from prep school, not rehab. In the end, the family home is broken into (not by Ben). Putin's forces in November pulled out of key positions, retreating from Kherson as Ukrainian troops led a counteroffensive targeting . REVIEWS She was seen attending a cast dinner with both Lopez and Rodriguez in 2019 before the "Hustlers" star hosted the late-night sketch show. There is a scene where Julia Roberts' car breaks down. - Opioid addiction affects not only the addict but the whole family. Read More: Ben Is Back Ending, Explained: Is Ben Dead or Alive? #everycopycounts support vendors this winter. In the place, Dolly finds Ben almost dead. Julia Roberts and Lucas Hedges are pictured filming a Scene for 'Ben is Back' at a shopping mall in White Plains, New York 03.01.2018 And since Clayton is the last person Ben imagined as the culprit behind the break-in, he does not want Dolly to go there. A woman confronts a doctor about prescribing drugs to her son at the age of 14 and says that she hopes he dies a horrible death. Ben (Lucas Hedges) has no father and has turned to overdependence on prescription medication. Writer-director Peter Hedges depicts this phenomenon with intimacy and empathy in Ben Is Back, about a teenage opioid addict who leaves rehab for 24 hourssupposedly with the encouragement of his sponsorto visit his family on Christmas Eve. Ben completes the mission and gets Ponce back, but Clayton also gives him some drugs in return. Ben was written and directed by Peter Hedges and it's clear it was crafted for his son, who stars as the titular troubled young man. A woman hands her son a cup and tells him to provide a urine sample for drug testing. Recent episodes in Anatomy of a. Holly exudes the tough, elegant self-confidence that has long been part of the Julia Roberts brand. $12.49 FREE Shipping Get free shipping Free shipping within the U.S. when you order $25.00 of eligible items shipped by Amazon. Nevertheless, the scene falls flat and feels preachy. A family returns home form a performance and finds their house has been broken into; their Christmas tree is tipped over, the glass of a door is broken and their dog is missing. Read our parents guide below for details on sexual content, violence & strong language.. Stuart Dryburgh of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty fame came on board as the director of photography. A drug addicted teenage boy shows up unexpectedly at his family's home on Christmas Eve. With the help of Liam and Lacey, Ben goes to the attic room and finds his old stash. How much more damage will he do, to them and to himself? The crew filmed in North Little Tor Road and along the South Mountain Roads in the suburbs of New City. Sequels! Dolly seeks to accept Ben, but Ben has ways to mess things up. As Bens stepdad puts it: if he was black hed be in prison. Perhaps most notably, the new episodes show Wendy becoming increasingly reckless in her actionsspeaking publicly and repeatedly about her "missing" brother Ben ( Tom Pelphrey ), even though she. One problem with Ben Is Back is that it cannot find the right tone. Telling her she does not know the real "him," Ben reveals that his sponsor told him not to return home and that he did not get the drugs Holly found from a girl at the support group but rather hidden in the attic above his younger siblings' bedroom. Stepdad Neal (Courtney B Vance), whos paying for the rehab, is stony faced. A young man talks about having an arrangement with his history teacher for drugs (possible sexual activity is implied). While we read all emails & try to reply we do not always manage to do so; be assured that we will not share your e-mail address. "Bennifer" is officially back! [14], Los Angeles Online Film Critics Society Awards, "Making of 'Ben Is Back': How Director Peter Hedges Convinced His Reluctant Son Lucas to Star", "Julia Roberts And Lucas Hedges Team For Black Bear & 30WEST-Backed 'Ben Is Back', "Courtney B. Vance Joins Julia Roberts & Lucas Hedges In 'Ben Is Back', Julia Roberts project, filmed in Rockland, gets positive reviews, "Julia Roberts Drama 'Ben Is Back' Acquired By LD Entertainment, Lionsgate & Roadside", "Toronto: Timothee Chalamet Starrer 'Beautiful Boy,' Dan Fogelman's 'Life Itself' Among Festival Lineup", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ben_Is_Back&oldid=1132753122, Best Performance by an Actor 23 and Under, David Zaldivar as Spencer "Spider" Webbs, a drug addict and one of Ben's old friends, Jack Davidson as Dr. Crane, husband of Alzheimer female, Mia Fowler as Lacey Burns-Beeby, Holly and Neal's 10-year-old daughter and Ben and Ivy's little half-sister, Jakari Fraser as Liam Burns-Beeby, Holly and Neal's 6-year-old son and Ben and Ivy's little half-brother, This page was last edited on 10 January 2023, at 11:23. Ben demands Holly goes home, but she refuses. 19-year-old Ben Burns unexpectedly returns home to his family's suburban home on Christmas Eve morning. Later at night, with little luck finding Ponce, Dolly and Ben try to reach a moment of clarity at a diner. Ben sees his childhood friend, Spencer, also a drug addict. Inicio La Provincia ben is back mall scene ben is back mall scene. Ben is around 20 years old (at which age I too was also . We see snippets of a sleepy town, zooming into a Christmas choir. Lucas Hedges plays the titular Ben, a recovering heroin addict, and Julia Roberts is Ben's loving mom. How much should my pay rise to beat inflation? A young man speeds away from a gas station leaving his mother inside alone and with no ride. But even more so, it's also a movie about redemption that reflects Jesus' lesson in the Book of Luke through a powerful illustration of forgiveness. The MPAA rating has been assigned for language throughout and some drug use. The Kids-In-Mind.com evaluation includes a physical altercation that ends with a punch in the face, references to sex in exchange for drugs, opioid addiction and its effects on family and loved ones, discussions of the death of people addicted to opioids and rehab, and over 30 F-words. Some filming also took place in New City, a hamlet in the Clarkstown municipality. Associated Press articles: Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. But even a scene set the safe space of a 12-step meeting, where Ben cracks jokes and tries to earn sympathy,comes off as disingenuous. Yesterday I watched "Ben is Back" a recently released feature film about a heroin-addicted young man (Lucas Hedges) and his heroic and tenacious mother (Julia Roberts) who tries her best to keep him "clean.". [10], In July 2018, LD Entertainment, Roadside Attractions and Lionsgate acquired distribution rights to the film, which they released on December 7, 2018. And like that film, it features privileged white folks at the center, as if to reinforce the idea that addiction cuts a swath through families regardless of race, class, or gender. The scale and depth of the horror are beyond anything she had imagined. I never fully buy into its truth but this is one of those rare Hollywood movies that keeps you guessing. "[13] At Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 66 out of 100 based on 39 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". The film suggests that drugs do not have to be illegal and sensational, like cocaine and LSD, but they are pretty mundane in a broken, contemporary world. But from Spencer, Ben gets a lead about the home invasion incident. And I never fully buy into its truth some of the big emotional outbursts fall flat. Prices of energy and food are rising rapidly. A man says of his step-son, "If he were black he would be in jail by now." This is supposed to be such a joyous timethe most wonderful time of the year, evenbut expectations and regrets can serve as triggers, adding to the anxiety of the season. Melissa McCarthy Says 'Bridesmaids' Originally Had a Strip . Check out the new movie clip for Ben Is Back starring Lucas Hedges! You can feel every conflicting emotion shes experiencing as she pulls up to the familys house with her other kids in tow and is stunned at the sight of her eldest, a hoodied 19-year-old standing awkwardly in the driveway. And hes with his mother Holly, played by Julia Roberts. The website's critics consensus reads, "Refreshingly understated, Ben Is Back subverts family drama stereotypes - and provides a forum for terrific performances from Lucas Hedges and Julia Roberts. At other times she wonders if her sons addiction is her fault. By the time Ben and Holly are locked in a pieta-style tableau, with light shining from behind and above them, Ben Is Back has truly hit bottom. "One of the 50 Coolest Websitesthey simply tell it like it is" - TIME, The current economic climate has reduced our revenues. That is both a blessing and a curse. Review: 'Ben Is Back' Takes A Wrong Turn Along The Way The first half is a tense, painfully real family drama about the lingering toll of opioid addiction; the second half lurches into thriller . But thats what Holly (and Hedges) does. The best thing that can be said about this film is that Hedges isnt going for warm and fuzzy feelings. If the thought has indeed crossed your mind, allow us to enlighten you. Helmed by Peter Hedges, the 2018 drama Ben Is Back is a refreshing and nuanced addiction movie about drugs and how they affect society. Over a turbulent 24 hours, new truths are revealed, and a mother's undying love for her son is. I n its early scenes, Ben Is Back is more unpredictable and slyly entertaining than its earnest-sounding premise might suggest. Added . Over a turbulent 24 hours, new truths are revealed and a mother's undying love . One of the cruelties of addiction is the way it strips away individuality, making all addicts stories the same. Ultimately, Roberts just seems miscast. The crew filmed some scenes in Sloatsburg, a village in the town of Ramapo in Rockland County. They end up at the home of Maggies father Bens ex-girlfriend, who died from a presumed drug overdose. Just go to our search page or use the search bar, with or without a keyword, from the top navigation menu. See production, box office & company info, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert: Julia Roberts/Patrick Wilson. Back to the Future (1985) Universal Pictures. The plot follows a mother who tries to help her addict son after he returns home from rehab. ben is back mall scene "Bennifer" is officially back! Ive been with you the whole time. Excuse me! The girl at the meeting. And Ben going from cocky and confident to reduced and regressing in age and fearful and apologetic You think Im an idiot. All right. Theres this dangerous something coursing through him. Spencer shows up and, after a tussle, he confirms that Clayton, a drug dealer he used to work for, took Ponce. Lucas Hedges has to work a tricky balancing act of appearing. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. After a few minutes, Ben takes a breath. GreatMartin. I thought you were dead, one guy at the mall says off-handedly. Leaving Holly stranded at a gas station, he goes to meet Clayton. We see a photo of a woman wearing a camisole that reveals cleavage. Returning from Ivy, Liam, and Laceys performance at the Christmas choir, they find that the room has been broken in. Like her, I found myself constantly scanning Bens face: is he using again? the Oscars deepest and most dynamic race. Copyright The Big Issue Limited 2021. [9] Filming took place in Yonkers, New City, Sloatsburg, Larchmont, Mamaroneck, Garnerville, and Haverstraw, New York. Superheroes! Subscribe to learn more about the movies you love! Peter Hedges, whose previous features as a director are Pieces of April, Dan in Real Life and The Odd Life of Timothy Green, keeps his sentimental tendencies on ice here. The film begins like a home invasion thriller as a young guy attempts to break into a house. Driving out to an abandoned barn, he parks on the side of the road. And then watching how she can, on a dime, flip from the happy mom to panicked mom and fierce mom Where did you get this? they are pretty mundane in a broken, contemporary world. Upon the arrival she is first shocked and then overjoyed to see her. Furthermore, the crew filmed scenes in Larchmont, an affluent village situated along the Mamaroneck River. Gary M. Kramer is a writer and film critic based in Philadelphia. Ben concocts that he took the drug from the girl at the meeting, but he later comes clean that he found the bit in the attic room. But A&E was worse': This is the desperate state of the NHS, Rishi Sunak wants a drone army of data entering robots: Simon Peggs furious attack on PMs maths plan. The movie takes place over one day and a long night, so there's more discussed about Ben's history of drug use than actually seen. On the contrary, what is so moving and effective about Robertss work here is her shrewd subversion of her long-established persona. Our ratings and reviews are based on the theatrically-released versions of films; on video there are often Unrated, Special, Director's Cut or Extended versions, (usually accurately labelled but sometimes mislabeled) released that contain additional content, which we did not review. As is the cost of rent. The film highlights many shades of Julia Roberts and Lucas Hedges' central roles, Holly and Ben. It is a big BUT uttered from Holly's tough love side. When a young man doesn't remember a young woman, she tells him, "You were my dealer."