Joaquin Phoenix and Woody Norman excel in this road trip drama about an uncle and his nephew – it will slowly draw you in.
There are a small minority of films that grabs you straight from the off, they force you to not only watch, but to feel and ingest every scene as if it was part of your very own existence. Relatability can be so subjective and hard to find in the grand old world of cinema, but the latest from Mike Mills really tugs on the heart strings – it’s one for the picture book that’s for sure. When a film has such an honest connection between two of its characters, there is a realization that the actors themselves must have developed a sweet bond as well. C’mon C’mon explores how two opposites can have such an understanding for one another, and how they use one another to fill an existential void in their lives.
The film follows Johnny (Joaquin Phoenix), an emotionally stunted and softly spoken radio journalist who travels across America interviewing groups of free-thinking children as they share their thoughts about a troubled world, as well as their own mysterious futures. Johnny’s estranged sister Viv (Gaby Hoffman) asks if he can go to California and take care of her son Jesse (Woody Norman) whilst she goes and looks after her equally estranged husband Paul (Scoot McNairy), as he struggles with his mental health. Jesse challenges Johnny mentally and physically, with the two of them creating a bond as they travel from state-to-state interviewing children.
Illuminating the film though are the performances, with both leads garnering much of the praise. Woody Norman is so matured for someone so young; he delivers such adventure but with so much refinement. Jesse is an obnoxious kid but has so much innocence and is highly inquisitive about the world he lives in. And then there is Phoenix, who is just brilliant and able to express his character with so much skill; he is mature but still able to release childlike energy in an effort to bond with Jesse. However, that isn’t where the stellar performances end though because there are two supporting characters who have such powerful roles. The strength that Viv exhibits, as she balances mothering her son from the other side of the country as well as coping with her husband’s breakdown is magnificent. And then there is McNairy as said husband, a character who has little dialogue but shows such animation and expressionism – he is a man completely on the edge.
The film offers us an insight into the world of a radio journalist, with co-star Molly Webster being a real-life public radio journalist, which is handy. I love the way the interviews with all these children are intertwined within the story, becoming an important and relevant part of the film, resulting in beautiful break away moments of tranquillity. The interviews almost feel like documentary, they don’t feel scripted at all, it’s as if these children have been directed to speak from the heart, offering candid outlooks on life that only a child could so openly talk about.
Mike Mills has become known for his character studies (check out 20th Century Women) and he has really excelled this time around, directing a pure of heart fantasy: simplistic in nature but highly attuned to its own intricacies. He is aided by cinematographer Robbie Ryan (I, Daniel Blake, and The Favourite) who is extremely delicate and effective at obtaining the perfect feeling for every scene – his camera work is very whimsical and extremely alluring. I can forgive the film for its slow pace because that is exactly what is needed to establish the relationships throughout. Relationships don’t just happen (we should all know that), they need time to settle and then blossom, and that solemn pace is perfect for allowing this connection to exist. What I will say though, although the black and white aesthetic is a nice touch, I’m not sure if it was entirely needed. It takes away the vibrancy of its locations and gives it this melodrama feel.
C’mon C’mon is a beautiful little film that gives you the opportunity to decipher its special narrative in your own unique way. On the surface, it is about relationships, with the one involving man and boy taking centre stage, as they develop a bond on this unorthodox road trip. There are also those relationships between Viv and Paul, between Viv and Jesse, as well as her own with her estranged brother, all of which needing resolution, and how is this obtainable? With time and patience. Something else the film explores is the underlying meaning of life, the outlook on the future from unique perspectives which becomes a major theme of the story, it gives it this transcendental feeling. And as mentioned previously, the acting is brilliant, and quite possibly the most impressive, as a collective, of the year. C’mon C’mon is wholesome, emotional, and incredibly sombre, a real fine piece of work from Mills. I am a huge fan.
C’mon C’mon is available to watch in cinemas soon.
No Comment.