‘The Son’ (2023) Review: False Assurances
In Florian Zeller’s second feature, The Son attempts to articulate the complexities of mental illness. The movie’s predecessor, The Father, perfectly summarises complicated familial relationships and dementia. However, Zeller’s new feature is an unfinished product that tackles the different perspectives of two characters while also trying to navigate a troubling subject. It’s easy to compare the two movies because of the predecessor’s success with emotional honesty and drama, whereas The Son doesn’t show these elements.
The movie begins as Peter (Hugh Jackman), his new partner, Beth (Vanessa Kirby) and his newborn son are settled in their own lives. His ex-wife, Katy (Laura Dern), turns up unannounced at the couple’s apartment. She is distraught and tells Peter that their son, Nicholas (Zen McGrath), has been skipping school for a month; instead, he walks through the streets of New York City. Worried about their son’s troubling behaviour, Beth pleads with Peter to help her. Peter confronts Nicholas, who is reluctant to explain everything. He confesses that he has been having intrusive thoughts and fears that he might hurt himself. Nicholas suggests he move in with his father and the newborn baby to be closer to them. Beth is upset about Nicholas moving in with them because her hands are full with the newborn baby. Now, she has to care for Nicholas, whom she barely knows. As Nicholas tries to adjust to the new environment, he slowly starts to slip back into his old way. Peter is offered a job in a massive political campaign in Washington. But he is distracted by what’s happening at home and tries to understand his son’s mental illness.
Throughout the movie, Peter tries to avoid the conversation surrounding Nicholas’ mental illness. His father is convinced that it is only a phase and he will eventually grow out of it. Peter tries to make appointments with therapists and help Nicholas adjust to new schools. He believes that Nicholas is finally getting better. Narratively, The Son tries to empathise with Nicholas’ mental illness. But these attempts to show the complexities of depression come off as manipulative, especially from Peter. This is why this movie differs significantly from The Father, which attempts to understand the roots of dementia and familial relationships. Peter only sees what he wants to see and ignores the rest of the serious red flags. His characterisation, which the audience understands is deeply rooted in his relationship with his father (Anthony Hopkins, who makes an appearance in The Son, probably years before his dementia diagnosis). Peter remembers Nicholas as the child he used to be, and what the older Nicholas says doesn’t feel right to him.
Moreover, The lack of understanding of mental illness within this movie is excruciatingly bad. This delicate topic must be explored with care and understanding; but how can The Son explore them since it doesn’t even begin with Nicholas? It’s a shifting perspective that shows Peter’s career, which he seems too focused on to take care of his severely depressed son and the newborn baby, and Nicholas’ many attempts to end his life. Zeller’s adaptation doesn’t provide the audiences with the nuanced and complex roots of mental illness. It manages to bring relatable moments, but it doesn’t reach the emotional height.
The Son suffers in many aspects, including Jackman, who attempts to bring a nuanced portrayal. It is daunting to watch his agonising outbursts about his son’s mental illness. The rest of the cast, Dern, Kirby and McGrath, also suffer from the same problem. Because of the script’s lack of understanding, the actors suffer from handling emotional moments awkwardly. They look like otherworldly beings trying to recreate human emotions, and there always seems to be a disconnect in the scenes.
Unfortunately, The Son doesn’t hit the right marks, just as it did with the predecessor. Zeller’s attempts to bring emotional honesty turn into an exhausting father-and-son relationship, where the father overlooks his son’s mental well-being. In vulnerable scenes, Peter manipulates and traps Nicholas with self-guilt. It’s a bleak world. The ugly weight of depression is unexplainable, and The Son lacks the sincerity to express the emotional moments. Zeller never reaches that momentum; it feels like an unfinished product and focuses on the wrong aspects of mental illness. Several movies portray the sensitive nature of suicide and depression. Unfortunately, Zeller’s movie provides a distorted reality of mental health.
