Film Review: Beautiful Boy Is A Lesson On Unconditional Love
Beautiful Boy is one of the best films of 2018, and also one of the most impactful. Before seeing Steve Carrell as David Scheff and Timothée Chalamet as Nic Scheff, unconditional love felt like such an ambiguous term; though gorgeous in thought, it was also unclear.
Is addiction a disease? A choice? Or a choice made from a disease? These questions pop into your head as David investigates why his “beautiful boy” has turned into a cruel fiend for crystal meth. Chalamet continues to certify that he is one of the most talented actors in Hollywood, and immerses himself in the complexities of Nic. This kid is talented, funny, kind, creative, smart, and extremely self-loathing. The latter attribute being, unfortunately, the most defining of his character. He simply cannot see himself in a benevolent light, even before his addiction. He is anxious and plagued with a self-doubt that makes you want to say, “Kid…..calm down!”
Chalamet is incredibly charismatic: giving Nic certain mannerisms and witted quirks that make you like him, and hate him when he fails to defend himself from himself. He truly is the quintessential emblem that your worst enemy can be you, which is why addiction may not be the disease. If anything, director and screenwriter,Felix Van Groeningen, uses Beautiful Boy to make the case that anxiety is the true disease. He wonderfully intersperses flashbacks of David and Nic, throughout the latter’s happier childhood, with scenes of both of them doubting that they are enough for the other and themselves. The problem is, though we all have insecurities, we do not all have the strength to overcome them.
Every time Steve Carrell’s David expressed his love to his son and pushed him to love himself, but Nick rejected him, my heart ran to the movie screen. Seeing Nic shoot up until he entered the physical oblivion he spiritually felt made me want to go into that seedy, bathroom stall and hug him. For all those that say addicts are the “bane of society” or should be left to die, I say watch Beautiful Boy. The performances are so raw, you think you are watching the actual father and son, Scheff duo on screen. After all, Beautiful Boy is based on their memoirs, which is why you feel emotionally shredded that a pair had to go through such an ordeal.
As you watch Carrell’s eyes water and his voice crack trying to figure how you save someone from their self. Think about that! How do you save someone from a demon when it is literally born and raised in their head? Yet, once again, Steve Carrell and Timothee Chalamet’s performances offers a lesson for the ages on what is true, unconditional love. At best, I used to think unconditional love was loving someone through their flaws and errors. Yet, Beautiful Boy shows you that unconditional love is about loving someone through your own flaws and errors. Even in the depths of addiction, Nick adores his dad, and even when David feels like the dumbest, most impatient father in the universe, he still tries to give his son stability despite his own, paternal insecurities. In essence, you have two people that, even in their emotional wreckages, try to give the little bit of love left in them to each other. Simply magnificent!
I learned so much about addiction, parenthood, and even how to give an Oscar-worthy performance (lol!) thanks to Beautiful Boy. Moreover, I saw that a good film makes you think about how you see love by showing you how to invest in it. When the credits rolled, and I read Nic has been sober for 8 years, I felt grateful and relieved. People that unconditionally love each other like Nick and David Scheff deserve unconditional happiness. Beautiful Boy Comes Out In Theaters On October 12.
