The Son ★★★

A divorced couple is dealing with a troubled teenage son. Their son, Nicholas, is grieving the family he once had. A familiar story, yet given a different take, it offers various points of view from each main character.

The Son is a compelling story about divorce, suicide and grief. Peter (Hugh Jackman) plays the father of Nicholas, who does incredibly well with his portrayed character. He showed how challenging it is to go through personal trauma while dealing with his son’s depression. The mother, Kate (Laura Dern), also did an incredible performance playing an abandoned wife who has not yet entirely accepted the divorce. While Beth (Vanessa Kirby), the stepmom, is entangled between them all, trying to keep her and Peter together along with their newborn son Theo.

Despite the film’s significant theme, there needs to be more focus and execution of the story. For one, Beth’s character as a supporting role needed more meaningful development. As well as for storytelling, Nicholas’s daily struggles did not translate well in the film. And lastly, Peter needed more backstory to make his own battles relatable. The intense acting did not produce the impact it aimed to deliver.

Overall it’s a captivating and emotionally provoking film about generational trauma, mental health awareness and a controversial topic about gun control.